som:~ ASPECTS OF FAMILY DESERTIOM

by Floyd M. Lindemann

A .B. University .. ··of Kansas 1924

Subm1 tted to tl1e Department of Sociology·and the Faculty Of the Graduate Scllool ot tlle unive:raity·ot Kansas in partial fulfillment ot·tlle ~equirements for the· degree of Master ot Arts •

January 251 1926

··PREFACE

studies ot family desertion, to say notlrl.ng

of the tl'tentment.a, are in their infs.ney. Tl1is monograph does not point clearly to any absolute ca.uses; but rather

t>reaen·ts a n1ethod to be used 1n the development of' causes

in treatment of the individual instances of desertion •

. Because ot the_~imtt~d apace s.nd time, nnd the yet 1nnde-. '

.:quo.ta knowledge of the. background or desertion, the legal ..

aspect of tlle problem 1s not treaterl. Much o:ved1t shoUld be given l1!r. Walter W.

\Vbitaon, Supe1-.intende11t of the Pl,.QV1dent Associntion• of

Kansas City1 Missouri, to~ bis splendid oooperntion in allovring the records of that_ ·Organization to be utilized

1n this stUdy; to all tbe members Of the eta.ff for their

generous aid a11d suggest1onsJ and espec1nlly to my wire, a· Visitor with the Provident Association, who hns rein-vestigated several fa.t'li.l1es from· the view point of the !Juggasted method-,

' ' If this study has .any merits, due thanks

should be given DX', Stuart A~ Queen of the Un1vel"'s1ty of Kansas, wh.o has given his time unsparingly, nnd whose pa-

tience and gui~anoe have proved an ever present stimulus.

TABLE OP CONTENTS

LITERATURE OF TUE SUBJECT

The .. problem 'and various points ot view The tarn!ly

Novels and stories .METHODOLOGY· .

The ote.t~et1cal, eapeoialJy Patterson. 'I'lla 1mpress1on1E;tt1.c,. espee1ally·Eubank and . . Colcord. . .. ·· · · · ..: . . . .

. . . The object1ve-subject1va case sttid7 · · ·

STATISTICS In tho general field· · Findings of this study : ·

CASE STtIDIES IndividUf1l presentation and analysis summary and general findings_ Evolved theoey

APPENDIX

'l'ables or the findings statistical caro used .for the collecticn of data ·

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Personality studies and methodology Books.and pamphlets on family desertion Magazine articles on family desertion

.IN11RODUGTI Oii

-Po~Grtion ia"·~ml~:otie evidence, one form, or

011e s~rmptou">~f .i11corJpntibllity·~ Attempts to clnas1fy the ··"-" ·. ·,<:- . . • ' :· .

have so tar :be~ri:<~uti10 ... · What'elements .-the;e are in inc11-

vidu~la1. ~!]:lPn piaoedin intilll!ite' re.JAtions' wi.th oth6r in• :,, . ' . . ," ' '': .

'dividilals 1 _:wliioh_(}aua~ o~1e. or• the otbej~ of ·tlleuf to ·desert, ~ • • • ' • • ~ • • 1 • ' \ • • • • ' • ~ • • ' •• •• • ' '

to·· s~eic:· :ti~.le' ql:ub.1 ; ul~ ·to· oeco~na intarest~d exce~d.vely in

bu$tna~!ls I . i~ ~-J1 ~~obiem w1rl.'c1h' .'t'equl:res. study. :tn orde~ to .... .·; - ,: . - ,,. '

prevent iiea;~rtti:ln~ we nilad to ~~ not only the external

condS.t~~ns1 "suol1.as the. ~.pusing, . th? .et~onom1c st~tua, the

s:s~roc~~t~~:• :the .tl.<~gaing ·.o~~. tJla 'v:Lre, ·01• .the huabnnd•a lmb-

ita .ot. dr$..rudngi .Jli't .wn, _ttlU'fJt lma.w their ·enI-ly ·lives, tho1r . •, .

~t.t;1t~de·~ ·~o~~1:t1:~~?¢t,-by tl1~ir aoo1~l, 'au1,1,~undinga• their

. V1scer~l st.l'1;1Ct"!lr~S, the1:~· 1lll.1G.r1ted qua11ti()S 1 . tl.ieir ,·,· ' ' ' : ·':', . .

emotiotlt.\1.11·-.nui, ~lnd tba ·vniucnt '1h1·ch have develo,ped as a

POSU).t ,of their '11Vea -tog~ther •. Vtll~iOUS indil~C.\Ut\la appal' ...

ei').tly. :~Y. :~.v~ ~he: ~a!;l.e extems.l .fa:ctcrs. "s11r):'otincl1~ them•

~not •. ·_The a?-nie s:tinnilus calls forth d1.f'tere~t responses in ·di!'fe1i~nt _.-pe;_..sons., JU~t r1.11Y. a, ce:rta:tn s.t1mulua cnlls forth . . " , .' •'' .... ,·'. . . . .· ' . . '

· p.~se~ti.on 1ri .one.:;·case,'_ non-supp('_rt 1n ;anc>tP.er, nbUse in : ' ~' ,._ . . , ' ' : . , - ' . ~ ' ' ' '

a.nqt~e~1- :~i>par~ntiy. su_cce~srnl life. ir{ ani>the~, is yet un-

. determ1.netl• :cortd.1t1on~.d oQnduct is ·1a1~gely. unlmovrn·. • '·, ' ·• ' i • . I • ' • .. # '

Parallel to ail. ·Qr 'the cases p1 .. esented, we ··cnn find similar

3

si ttmt1ona. wllere the same symptoms erJ.sted and no desex-· .. · ' :~' . -~ .

ti on took J;?laoa ~ . In other wo1.,ds 1 our consideration pr1•

mar1ly is v1ith the 1nter•nct1v1t!ea of bumans .a,n.-ct .·the way

those o.ot1Vit1es have been moulded. by plws1cal 1 emotional, . .

intollectunl, and social. Pl"Ocesaes in .each ct the :J..nd~~d•

unls, 1n tUl"l'.1 reacting togethel" to ·rorin t;he social. ent1ty;p

the tmnily; and not merely with the desertel::'ts xnake•up1

or with his wife, OJ.' ntcy single:elament or marital or

individual 11fe.

At Pl"osent in non•support legislation, the

lnw assumes tha man to be at fault,· tbat his vtite and.

family· are. the injured pa.rt1es1 and they, there:f'ol'G, are

innocent. It is the same idea. tha.t is p:revalent 1n all

legal practico, that of punishment tor some injury.

"This •order1ng-and•forb1dd1ng attitude•. according to

Thomas and Znaniek1, •ia the oldest and moBt·persistent

form or social technique•"• (l) It 1s tlle legal•mol"al

system as compared with the ac1an:tit:1.o oi- case•work

mothod; Ol" the genaralizin~ and blamtng idea as cont:rnstod with the 1nd1'Vidunl1zing method; or the "oroal"ing-and-

forb1dd1ng" as compared v11th the ~deratanding and con•

trol; 01~ probably,· simply stated, the emotional method

or t;>r1m1t1ve life as it is set against o,.ttempted intellec• tunl insight• Thus, until the wife nnd family a11e consid• ... _________________ .... _______ .,. ___ .. __ .,. __________ ., ____________ _

(l) Sutherland, Criminologz~ P• lEh

ered as causal factors, and studios. along with leg1sle.-. . , .

t1on, are framed in that d1rect1pn, ou~ efforts to curb desertion, or build a. constructive relationship between _persons will be futile. Likely, domest1c-ralat1on lnws, at the:L:r bes~, can be_ but tools or means wheroby intol-ligent and informed case worke~s can apply ac1antif1o methods of ·conduot and cont:rol, which will g1"adunlly be evolved in the .social lab~1·atox-ies.

Upon.our statute books theiie nre laws gov-ern1.ng marital .lire, responsibilities of the wife. and the husband, and inte1.,•relationsh1ps which society calls

the fnm11Y• In th!~ study, we do not pul"pose to tront ot the mQrnl nspects of tlla family. O'tt:t' conoel."n is not in toraoasting _what the fnmily will be. Wo nre pr1mnr1•

ly interested in getting to.ots tlmt will help us bette~ to und.et'atnnd the f'~mily, 1 ts 11f o, and 1 ta conduct•

NOVI, just what the frunily ia calls forth varying arunrers. ~o many people, who accept the conventional cspaota or life with overser1ousness, the family 1a a god-given institution which has been a pattt or the race since the beginning •. Ma:rl"iago to many has the sinae meaning. These institutions to them are sacred, untnodif1able, and becauae

. they have exist~d since the beginning. they must continue

to the end. such an attitude can ba and is questioned seriously.

With the advent of tlla theory of evolution and the introduction of naturnltstio and scientific

5

' . ' -

meth<Sds into the social lnbortitory1 _ the family is l'eaog-,

nized as nn institution that cli.anges according to the

social organization or whicll 1 t ~s· e. pa.rt~- Early times saw different types of family life~. Xn tribal life~. gl'9UP

marriages 1•apraaent a different form than we .~ow have.~

There, 1n a tribe~ a group of men an~ wom~n became poten• tial husbnnds nnd wives. ( l) In th~ee group ma~r:\ages .

wife lending is common and promiscuity at festivals ~~a estnblished ~ (2) In ano,ther period, \Ye find a ma~ hav. ing one legal . w1.t'e and aeval'S.l concubines', nnd. also

allowed by .the law under Hamrnurnbi free intero()ursa -vvith · remnle sla.vea, whose children could be legalized •. (:S) In . ·

Egyptian life, there was a bead \\'if.e o~ the "great· spouse"·

\Vith mino1' wivos acoord.1ng to their ~anlc. · {!4) AiL.-tb.at

time hro~her and siste1" ma_r*111age~ p:revn1lecl, (.91 consis-

tent changes hnve brought. us to an. epoch \vbeve \VO have

more Ol" less monogpm.'lny in family life t bnserl upon equal .. ,•, ' . . "

. . \

rie.hts ot. man and Wife. }lov1ever p~ost!tution,. .dese:vtion,

divol'ce, nnd 1nf'1del1·ty C;-xte th_e certain deviations, which ' .

even now, .in their respective ·.l}la.saes tire being e.~·cepted

"as the thing to do"• Thua we see .,the family .1s a humanly

developed o~ganizu.tion. In principle• it is like other, . o:rgnn1zat1ons which ave the result -or evolution or g:r-owth.· -------------............... _____________________ ..,. ___ ,.. _____________ _ (1) Hobhouee, Morals in Evolution! P• 136.

!2) Qpus cit. P• I36, ·foo'eno£e. ~11• . ·. 3) . oi:us oi:S. P• 181, especially footnote f}e. 4) °Sus c!t. P• 186. s> 1 ra. -

Prob!Ably all through tha lrl.stoey of nuu1·1"iage, the1 .. e is a constant ff.lctol", the sex impulse. 1~1a.tlns ·:ta the basis of' tamily lifE'.h Tb.is sex impulse, interactive with other so-oinl forces, forms tlle nucleuo of this orga111znt1on,

Macy wt.'1 tex-a and thitlka1"S O.l."O incl1nacl to e.ssuma that the pl?esent ty1)e or mar11ia.go is noro.al. To them., a thing is no1•int~l because the average lot or folk tollov1 the custom. VJhether the oustomney mode or action is normal o~ right is unproved. The animal urges within u.s may he the 1no11 e wholesome o~ halpi\tl to follo\71 nnd not the allt1f'1cial ba1"Pie1"s that o1vil!tat1on has aet about uo. Since tlle family and marriage seem tt> bo institutions that have grown, as the result of social 1nt'lueuces upon the sex wge, it yet remains an impossibility to nscortn1n the relati ... V"o longevity of thia atruotui-.a. no doubt, the impulse of sex will l"Gtna.in, but whether the oxp1'eas1on or sex will be practiced by tlle e:"·t/01--aga. person in the preaent form or family life is to-day a matte1' of opinion. The

instability indicated by d1vorce, desertion. prostitution-nnd non-support may be indicative or a tendency to nnotheX' for~ of social 011ganizat1011, wherein the family, as known as present, will not be the cente:r. The dese1'*tex-, a

non-001lformist according to the stand.al"ds of this nge, may be setting apvecedent that will laad the future gen-eration to examine family life and ascertain its 111eal me~its and its flaws •. Needless to sny such digressions

7

1nd1oate tendencies tha.t ma.y oi ... may not be clews to the

solutions o.nd ·the understanding ot• tlle f.>Voblem .of 1ncom•

patib1lity that· ~e have.befora·us; however ouJt study is . . . :'ii;· ..

not conoar11ec1 with the direot1on1of ramify life, but we are inte:rested :tn undel's.tand1ng f~m1ly. l:t.re· and the

forces that gov~t"ll it. In ·.the · ·aoiution . ot the dese11ition ·problem, the

emancipation of women, the cbs.ng.1ng economic ato.ndarosl

tha introduoti~n of , the · study of._ pe~sontili ty, and all .. the . .

othal:' epoch mnking chtltiges tlmt ,~n9 are ·tae1ng/ should be . . ' .

considered as social fo.otox•s wb:Lcb .'v11ll 1ntluence.,in the ·

coming genel.'a. tion ts social probleius.. ~bus, .1 1 t seems to . ' . . .

ma, th1s of all pl'oblems, ,should not be. considered as

that or dealing with me:t"~ly the ·sinning mnn or v1onwm~ ·

It ohould be conaiderocl aa n Pl'Oblem· of adjustment be- ·

t\voon two human ·animals, who ,may, or- may not ·ba bappieJ:t 1

if' thoy live constantly togetl1or~· e.s conventionally.- we . . '

feel tlley sllo'Uld, or if they m~rely are closely· inter•

related tor co-11a'bitation and reproduct1oth · Needless

to any, our mate1,.ials will be indeed limited,· and no con•'

elusive solutions can be drawn the1"efroin.

Since the age of wr1tingj the ramily- and'_.

mc.r1,1e.ge hnve been the sou:r-ee of nw.ny nov~l~·. These · ·

novels usually.net tol'th·th.o whole l.ife of the 1ndiv1d·

ua.l, his inter1,e1at1ons~rl.ps !fi th his· .re.m11y, . Td th· the

events leading up to the domestic· troubles. Of ·course ·

a

t',.

the tiocial setting 'is always controlled in ~ho novel, nnd

in the ganettal lite,. 1t is not. Dn.v1d Lawrence (l), o.n English· author, Flaubert (2) 1 a French wr1tei~, and many

others ( 3) bnva' sot 'tol'th such . stories • ?4aey of. these

novels are good, .because they seek not to blame the dev1• atov f1,om conventions. but seek to analyze the reasons f'or

bis leaving the 'usual pa.th· of conduct. l4ost or the t11ea.tises on. ma1-.1tal life in tho

tield of .3oc1ology are mere abstractions and condemnnt1ona · of those wllo deviate fl'om the. aonventioni.11 aspects of lit'e,

T<lo· ot'tan the discussions in ·the conte11enoes o:r social

workatts tn--e to the end of IJ:J.1oventing and censo1-.1ng the

. inarital difficulties rathe:r than aeelt111g to un.cle11stand

them. Likely mora aucceaa would be attained 1u this

field., 1£ aociologis.ts would oea!;e to thoo:t•i~;e end con-

demn,. and apply ·that energy to the unda1"stand1ng of the

actual coru:luct of 1•ee.l men and women •

....... -.............. _. ___________________ .. ____________________ _

(l) Sons nnd Love~s. A description of coal mine~•a home. ( 2) : m.tra.m<:i Bova&.:

· ( 3) ·see de Maupusse.nt, Tolstoy, Turgenieff, and ot1un~ · Wl"1ters •.

TllE MET!!OD

Social p1~obloms are. relativ(~·· People vdth

different backgrounds and d:lffettent experiences will rea~t·

to these problems in·variou~ ways,· Since pe:raonal opinions ... do oolo:r the a.tt1tude·s ths.t ·one has to the surrounding so•·

cial problem.a,. a study of marital maladjustment wollld

appear fat' mo1~e ac1ent1f1c 11' it ·could be considered ob•

ject1voly. Usually the statistical metluxi is acknovrledged

ns pul'ely npa1--t from pe1".sonal opinion,. Pe.tte:raon studied

the divo:voe cases in· the Pllilndelph1a Domestic. Relations.

Court i'rom n statistical view point,. meaaui .. ing such things

ns the houa1ng, the· compa1~ative ages of the mtu1 an.cl woman,··

the number of· child1.,en, et cetera., 'iu1nn of St. ~ouis

cxnm1nec! two hundred oi" the deserted ta.mil1ea or the st~

Louis Family Welfare Society fl"om this viev1 point,. and'

then compa1 .. ed these elements with a lilte nutnbar or cha:r•

1ty cnses, wherein there mu; no dese1 .. tion.. Botb of tllese

studies are purely objective 1 ·and from tho.t standpoint

are aat1sfactory, fol' in both instances. there e.re a out•.

f:l.f;ioat number of facto11s to rr.:nke stntiatica.l oa.lcula• .

tions pos~ible.

The t•ault of this type or \Vork l:los in the

fact that social forces are unlike physical forces, and

do not l'eadily yield to this method which 1s so success•

f'ul with mate:via.l ro1•ces. Social determinntaa are more . ·

10

complex, at1 .. uotural elements are not dominant, and hence, a atat1stieal evaluation is not wide enough in scope tor social worlt. (1) Behavior, habits, and notions of indi-

viduals are closely related to thaiv envi:vonment, but emotional co11fliots, \~.rl~cl1 so ·often cause d1f1"1culty in individuals, will not res.pond or be reduced to a atatis•

t1o1a1i.•s :rule. Thus, tvldle sta.t1stica do meet the :rae• qu11'1ement of objectivity, there are other elements pett• tinent to the compre~ension of marital di~ficultiea that ~auat be included. (2)

Miss Colcord (3) has assembled the expor1ances of ·many or the officials or social wo:rk 01•gttn1~at1ons in

meeting the desertion pXtoblema, together vd.th hel.' Olvn im•

preasiona, aa they have materialized out or her expori .. enoes. Suoh a book aa she has v1r1 tten is ve.luoblo booause 01' the actualities contained therein. Eubanl< (4) vo11y

cattefully has studied the l1te11ature of this field• call-ing attention largely to the lack of adequate stat1tit1csl materials nhd literature. His boolt is devoted lnr-gely to . the t1"6atnient of desei .. tion,- ns is Mias Colco1'Cl ta.

This element .is, of course, v1tnlJ howeval' t1'eatment will

not wholly succeed as long as the causative aspecta a.re ----------------------------------------------·---------

11

not thol"oughly understood• To aac:r1be dase~tion to

"faults ·111 early tra1n1ngtt, to a nwrong basis or mar• l"iagen, to "vicioua habits", et cetera (1) nlfJ.y be a good

stnrt, but Until we know how and wh.y these occurl?ed1 b:Y·

understanding how the .vicious ll::tbit arose, why the ind.i•

vidual has faulty oavly ti~nining, by knowing how h1a

n t~ ti tudea arid values of social lif'e and organ1ta. ti on

arose, we are 'veey little .~loae1 .. to. ·the trea;t~tr:mt o.r the

problem than .we wex-e, when we t1e:re content to merely put

the desa1"ter in jail, ti-usting .to luolt that ha would

"loarn hi.s lesson"• ;lt seems to· me that f'etnily incom.:W ·

pntib111 ty ia e.n 1ntl'icate p:ttoblem raqui:ring intens:t ve

study b¥ psychiatrists, ·phys1ciana, nnd social workers•

These studies will be highly desix-able i.f .they a.:re made

by 1nd1 vidualn v11 th v.n unlJie.sed and scientific vie\v

point, who a1--e aeeldng neither "to p:raiue nor to blnme.0

In this paper, vn'lile· statiatios have been

utilized, they do not represent many factors or 1mpo~tance. The majol" portion or this study is composed of ciu~e atud.•

1es of daael'ted families v.11c1 the men: and woman who have

deserted. We not only hnve been concerned with social

fo:rceCJ• but also w1th the physical nnd mental makeup of the 1nd1vidunlo.

Also., the individual, as a.n individual, has bean studied.. His structural makeup, unless abnovnl&l, is

, 12

not as important es his behavior-. (1) Of cou1.,se the rela-

tion or the 1nsti11cts to the 119.bita or tho individual is

vital. The emotional conflicts, the intellectual e.tti•

tud.es, na well as tlle social problems of each have boon

observed. Ira s. 'Wil.e (2) indicates the vnlue or n cott•

relation of e.11 ·the at1~otUl"t\l reactions nnd behavior

tov the torming ot·an· average personality. A siniilal"

idea ia expressed in. moclern psyoh1atl"y l.JY tho 1ntegrnt1on

of the .:respont1es or ~he .hwnnn animal ·with his social

conventions nnd customs. Fielding ( 3) cnlla our emotions

and instincts nthe cavaw.an within ustt, meaning those in•

herited elernents may be contrary to and in rebellion

· against. the dictates of , ou1 .. present ai v11:l=:~a ti on. He

maintains that until the individual oan integrnte th1.o

self with the social fOl'Oes, nothing will ensue but con-

flict and e. distorted personality. It too much conflict

a1--lsea, ~he individual v1111 aot differently than the

"nvei-.ngen, and should this deviation beoom•3 too pro·-. . .

nouncad, g1~eater society will disown hirn.

· OU>." guide to the organization of the social

history and the sociL\l facto1~s neces$Jary to the undel'.'atnnd-

ing of behnvior is largely taken from suggestions of Ml:'S•

Sheffield. ( 4) Becauae fan1ily dosa1,tion is but on~ .fol'tn ______ ............. _________ ... _.,. .. .,., .. _ .. ,... ......... -------------·--------(1) (2) (3) (4)

VJntaon~ ·Behav1c>r1sm, P. 73 and '15-77 •. Tlle challenge of Childhood, np. 'fb.e' ·oa.vaman witnin Us, no. 19-21 n!".d l-4. TI1e 'social Cuse .. Jf!Storz:"' PP• 19 .. 199.

13

or social maladjustment, 1 t ought to be stutl1ed f'rom .the .

angle of' social case treatment and methods. The beat

guide .to the study of family prQblems, fl"Otn the standpoint or the case v1ork method, is a contribution of' Miss Rich•

mond. (l) Miss .Follettts (2) suggestions 1n nn article, "community is a Process" nnd the application of this idea to the family life hns given a perspect1v~ for the value.• tion or our records •. Thus, in the prese.ntation .of Ottl'

f'amily records, there has l1een ·asstimed ·no .finality ot causes, but we li..q,ve only traced the pl'*ocess ot the domes-..·

tio life to a. point, where we have bean oornpelled to stop, becnusa time nnd nw.te1'iala have no'l; pe11nii tted more elab•

orate nnalysia. It will bo noted thn. t much cons id.era tio11. 11'"lS

l'een given· the :11etho<l, .fo:c.i the 2 .. oaults ax•e alv~a:yE~ colo1 .. ad

by the process and methods used in Rl"l1iving at coµclu.•

aions. (3)

----------------------·-··--------------------------..-·-·· (1) Soc:t~l pia~n.osis~~ whole book. '·'· (2) community s a Process, Pllilos Rev. Nov~ •19. (S) Lindeman, 0RUS pit. PP• 4•8

14

STATISTICS

Elements to be used in a stati~tical process

should be :r-epresentative of the .who,le, which they are de•

signe4 ~o measll!'e. . Desertion records are not separately

tabulated by the Family Welfare Society.in its stntistic~l

count. In order to obtain a representative group of ram-

. ilies, ··it was decided to examine all cases active in Octo-

ber, 1924, wherein desertion was either an immediate or a

more remote problem. In selecting the cases in which de-

sertion is an active problem use was made of the statis-

tical tPeatment oa1..,dj accompanying ea.ch record; on which

are checked all major problems• This method of choice

has two advantages: fil"St' we. secured the .rmnilies where

desertion was the·aoute symptom, and secondlyj we also

secured. record a of •*periodic dese1')tel"s n w:S. th yea1"s of' con-

tact by the Family Welfare Society~ By using ~eoords of

active,families1 much more detailed information could be

secured. i~rom the case ·worke1"s than would have been A.vail•

able had we chosen records whe:r,e no active work was being

done on the family• The Smith family is not included ·

in the statistical count; however, because of the val-

uable itba.ck history" 1 it was included in the case s1.llllDUl-

ries fo~ discussion•

Extent

ln the various studies that have been made or of desertion, most of the writers have found the percent-

15

,

age of deae1'ted families in their :·e~peotiva cities about

the,\arune. Within the ol."pllllnages ot Pld1adelph1a, Patte1 .. son

(lr estimates about 15% Of the children have d~Sel'ting

parents• About 10% of the families carried by tbe Phila•

dolpbia sooiety tor Ovganis1ns Charity are the result ot desertion, (2) Devina (3 )'_ !n ~a stud7 i ot dependent families

in Haw Yorlt, found lCY"' were those ot deserted vomen. EU•

bank (4) found the pex-oentagea ot desertion running fro~

2.a;& to 24.556 in tho respective organizations from which

,.he collected 1--etu11na • In l\ane as 01ty1 the Fatnlly Welta1,Q

society car1 .. 1ed l t/ ,5~~ of. ca.aas in oc tobe:i-" 1924 lVhe).'le de•

sert1on wns Ol" hud been a problem. Of tbf~t group• l.S}\S we1~e

situnt1ons with active dese~tion problems, (5) Since the

percentage or trun1lies ma.de dependent by deserting parents

is so gi--uo.t, this is evidently a prol:>lam which deserves

careful study.

HOUBIUO

In Pa tte1•son ts study, 1 t 1B significant tlla t

only 6% or those who secured divo:rces owned their bomes~.

(G) In Kansas City, ~ found tbnt the tenement house dis•

tr1 c ts 110.d a ln1'geI' p1 .. oport1on of families of de:Je1•tel's

than the res1dent1v.l districts. (7) Apparently then the

deserted. families who are ha11dled by 00010.1 agencies lnck

m-tli.m~1y f5ese~~ters nnCl ¥fon-su£2011 te,rs, 'pp XSO · t5~ ;!i;<IC;uses or Mise:r;z; · · · ·

l4) opus cit: p,SS. . · 5) "Bee A.ppelldix, Table XV. lll, . part A' G) opus Cit. Table XV P• 276 7) lppenaix,· Tnble XVlll, part B.

16

the atab1l1zi11g influence or hori~e ownership.

OCCUPATION OF THE llUSBANDS

Patterson bas nrranged a tabla of male occu-

pa t1ons, en.lightening euough to be worth of pr0sentntion.

This table 1s based upon a. study of 1200 cases in 1918 (1)

Occupations ot Huaba.nds % of' ct. Cases % for the total pop.

PJ:>op~Qrs 1 officials;, 5.S 27 and managa:rs

Clerks 9 .. 7 9

Skilled wo1"ke:rs 26-.l 13

Serui-sldlled 21.a 12

Labore1"'s 23.7 '32

Servants 4.5 3

Publiu officials • '7 4

Sem:t.-o.ffieials 2.9 l

Professiona.l 1.6 3

···Not stated 3.7

In Kansas City (2) -03% of. the deserting hus-

bands ware skilled labore1•s. 17% were semi-skilled, and 24%

were unskilled laborers • Thel"'e we1"6 a. nuDber which were

not classified. In a.11 p1 .. obn.bility the lowness of the

· wage is not· tt. t11ajox· emu.a, or de:Jertion_. although it is

likely n contvibuting factor. ----... ----·-----------------------·-------------------------{l) Opus cit. 278• Table XIX. Simplified (2) lppenctlx, Table XI

18

OCCUP.ATIOU 01" WOL~M

Patterson round tlult the woman in the eases he·

studios, were largely clerks and stenographer.a. :factory

opet"ntives, and day wo1-ikers .. {l) In the Kansas CS.ty

ero~p, most or the woman ttn'ned to elerldnga waiting

tables. working in laundries, a.ndo.cting Ii$ chamber· ma:tds,

or hoWJe ri:rl-ids •. One should not;e these are pax~ticularly_

occupo.tiona that luwe been asswned since the desertion

of the male wage en1"nero· As nea~ e.s can be estimated

about 537& of the women following· desertion, go into· ga1rtful

occupu.t1ona. (2)

t:AGES OF MEH

In 1916, Patterson found (3) the .median tor wonts wngoa \7s.s ~;15.00 per v1eok, which appaa.1~s low tor .

the nco.le of vm.ges in tha.t period. Our own ·wage statistiee

contnin dn.ta which D.:t'e not comparable because they repl,.e-

oent tho wage of the man when the .1 ... eco:.t.1d openec1, and hence

they a1'e not confined to any one period• but cover about .

fifteen yoars. We do find, thour-Ji,, various wage S'C&.le

groupings; for 1nstunce., one group centers about the ~112,.oo

level, a.11otlle1" about the $15.00 level, anothe~ about the

(;18 .oo. Quite a number gH ther chout n ~21.00 levelp wliich

likely a1~e represe1~tu.t1 ve of renent deaevtions-. · · .. Fl.J.rthermo1,e · ·

there is a.nothe1 .. g1~uping about the $25.00 level$t and tbeae · -----------------------------"'!t••··------------,..-------------(1) (2) (3)

QI?_. Cit. P• -281 Aifoeiiilix Tab le &II ~. , . Op. C1t. P• 2'79.

a~e ~ollowed by a grouping· or two at the $50.00. (1)

While these returns sro 1tlterest1ng, th~y do not signify

anything in part1ou.lar, excepting the widely scattered we.ga

scales.

\VAGES OF WOMEU The only definite group~h.ga cente~ about $10.oo

and (~12.00 p~u.- WEH)k• (2) In view of tl1a fact. tl'.Ult the

average X"UnS ~' bout two <?P three children pe:r tamily, 1 t 1s probable tliat clesex-ted mothers do not n1nke sufficient

· to support their families without aid.

AGgs OP 'llH.fi! MEM AlID 'r'HE WOMEM

· Patterson c11 scove:red. · that about one-hnlt or the v1omen are under 30 years of' age• the. t about one-tenth

are .. min.ova, nntl that the greatest troquenoy occUl.'9 bo•

tween tho age a of' 20 an.cl· 24, and 25 · nnd 29. Fol' the

. ,.men, the high water mark is between 25 ancl 29 yoars. ($)

:1n our study• we found tl~e greatest g.ttouping of me11 at

th~ t~me of their desertion .. 1a between 29 and 35; n11d

with the women, the :grouping is consistent from 23 to

29 yaa1•a • (.4)

~l~tlTH OF MARHIED LIFE.

In Patterso11•s atudy (5), there were 44.8% -------------... ---·------~-----~---------.. ----------------(1) Appendix, Table XIII .. ( 2) Appe11dix, .Table XIV• -(3) op. cit• P• 299.

, ( 4) Appendix, ~able I (5) op. cit. P• aoo.

19

fnm1:i.1es deae1"ted within f1 va years of the mnl'J:'inga, o.nd

55.2;;& of the ·families l1ved togather tor six 7ears or over. In this study, we found that 46}' of ·the d.ese1"tions

occurred within tlle first· five years or ma1--r1age1 while

54% ot the ram111ea lived together six yea.l's 01' over,: making the mc~dian 6 "75 yeal..,S • ( l)

AGE AT MAHHIAGE

Patterson (2) found that t.he median fop the

tt.ents ages lny between 25 and. 29 yenr-s, and that the me• dinn ro:r the vroments ages luy batween·20 and 24 :;ears.

or the men, 59% ma:rried between the ages or 20 Qnd 24, 'Y7hila ~25% married between tlie ages or 25 and 29·1ea:in16

There were 31~ of the women ma~r1Gd·unde~ 201oa~s, Qnd··

36% nmrried between the ages of ao and, 24 years ..

our gl"oupings sh<>wed tbAt with--the r.nen. 19 to 23 was the popular nw.1~17ing age, wll.110 \1'1.th the wo-

men, 15 to 21 was ·the most c01nrnon. ( 3)

, LENGTH 0141 AC,l.UAIMTANCE I3l~FORE U!b.RHI/i .. GE

Patterson (4) ,found that the med1tnt was from

one to two yenra, while one third or the parties had lmown each othol' over three yea.~s. The reooros upon which tlrl.a study was based do not tabulate .this element, . --------------------·---------~-.--------------------···· (1) ~~~ l4>

Appendix, Table v. Op. cit. P• 300• Table XX.VIX• Appendix, Table IV. Op. Cit. P• 301.

20

Patterson (1) showed that the.median of the

deserted fnmllies 'mlS one child •. Wllile 28% had no ohil•

dren, SQ% lw.d. ~ne ·child, 17]1, had two ohild1"0n, and only ' . ' ' .

10}$ had th:t'ee eluld11en. our study (2) indicated that

the. median wns" 2·childl:'enpe:it family, wh1ch 1s double

Patte11sont a. The 1920 census 1ncl1ca.tes that the average

size family 1n ICansas City, M1sso'1l11 t was toux- pe11sona.

(3)' our study shows the deserted family to be the same.·

Then appa:ttantly the· number ot children is not an impol't casual facto>." in d.ese1~tion.

Patte1~aon .( 4) found that in l4i' of' his· frun-

. ilies the11 e wQre toroed mar~ie.ges. ttiss Colcord (5)

cites a. study of 500 widows in which 19.2% woi~e forced

inari~tsges. · OUr studr (G) ·1nd1.cntes that 25% of the tirat

cltild.ren t<e:t"e bom within the f1r3t nine months of tlle

ma:rringe, and of th1$ number, 8% actually we1--e born out

of wedlock. PRl~VI OUS MAf\RIAGES ltliOWN

'I!his study ·(7) indicates that 15% or the men

were 1narried previously 1 v1hile 24% ot the won1en prav1ousl'1

·-----------------------·~-----------------------------(1)

l< .. 3·

2

r :l G)

( '7)

op. ott. P• 30~l. . . Appendix, Table III• u. s. ·census, Population, Vol. II, P• 1268. opus cit. P• ·303. B~oken Homes, P• 93. Appendix, il'n"ble VII. Appendix, Table. VI.

21

experienced ma~ital life.

KNmm IMMORALITY

Of' this group, we find. that only 19,& of the

men \•10re immoral; of the \':omen 20%. (l) It. 1a >likely that the ttomen were more easily app1,.ellended than the men.

KNOWH VENEUEAL DISEASES

We !'ind (2) that 24% of the men and women had

syphilis or gonorrhea oxa both. ot this num~el', vie note thnt 16% were w01nen and only 8% were men. lte1,e again. ·

when most of the tests ·were made the husbands were out of the home, and the v1oman we:re the ·only ones to get an tlC•

tual test.

NATIVITY

In the Kansas City study (3) p:raot1call1 all of the men and Vlomen studied we1--e ·born and reared in · America and of American parentage. ·Since the tore1gn

ram111ea a1"e so few. they are scarcely noticeable.

PROBLEMS PRESENTBD IM 11lm~ F~PJt!ILIES

The Family Welfare Society bas a system of indicating the p~oblems pxaeaented and the ti-aaatment tlle11e..-

of. It is interesting to note that, by this statistical

device, in the ~esertion cases, '13.5% of ·tho problems pre• sentecl ai-te solved to the aatisract1on of the v1oi-kevs. · (4). --------------------------------.---------···-----.·---------{l) Appe11dix, Table VIII. 2) Appendix, Table IX• 3) Appendix~ Table x.

(4) Appendix., Tables XV! and XVII.

22

()f the services . ratlde1~ecl 1 those in tho heal th g1"0Up rank

the highest. Whia is liltely due to the publicity g1ven

medicine and preventive medicine, aa vJell a.a to the abun-

dance of henltll clinics. avnilnble in Kannas City~ Another

ll.Otioanble fentui .. e or the problam card is the nbsenoe of

. tho in.tellectual, emotional .. and social problems• al though

the organisation is supposed to be concerned with tho de•

velopment or tll~ personality~-· lt is not p1--obable thnt

the omission indicates the lr-.ick of such problems, foz- in

the following cases studied, many of the mentioned prob-

lems do ex.1st. INTEHIM FROM ·FIRST APPEAnA!WE TO Pnl!;SEll'.t'

· · ittany ·or tho ca sea lmve boon closod ·end ro•

opened~ and some few have been open tov many years.

There are 42% of the records 'l;hat have been opened in the

past year. For a mo1'*e detailed account see table XIX. (1) HEALTH ,Oii' TIIE tiOMg1q

Excluding tha vene:real diseased patients, we hnve a total of 2G% or the women dese1 .. ted, who need health

tventment·., The problem of whethe1• this is duo to the

treatment of the husband and ·worry, or to the wo1"lt that

the wives. have to engage ir1 after the departure of tho

husband, is a mnttel" of speculation. (2) ................................ _ .... .._. ... ., ................................. . (-1..) Appendix, 'rable XL't. (2) Appendix, Table xxx.

23

INTERVAL DETY!EEii THE FIRST DESERTIOl~ AND THE /iPPLICltTIOlt

Within the first. yea:r after,the.dese~tion ot the husband, we have Go% ot .the applications fo~ :rel!et .

mnda. (l)

S'l1ATISTIC/i.!, CONCLUSIOUS

Genel:'nlly speaking th& statistics of this· study do not covel" a sUff1c1ent numbett or.oases to·be:cono1us1ve. Howevel", they n1~e 1nte:raest1ng because the7 do coincide

with those or Patterllont·s. All of the statistics that ax-e

compa:t:tnble.with the census ~tud.ies indicate tendeneies. . .

that 0.1~ ai~~ar to the general population;. thus. as

· would be anticipated, they a~-..e lax-gely negative. Pe~son•

c.lity, the ind1v1cl\u:tlls actions; and his attitudes liltely

a1"e more 1nd1cnt1 ve of the oe.uaal tactotts than- tl1e mere .

structural elements• In sooio.l life the numbe:- ·of ole• men ts entering into otlI' 11 ves, that · iu.,e unmeasurable by.

ato.t1st1onl man1puls.t1on is ao gt-eat, that, to say the

lenst. 1t would be hazardous to depend upon statistics w1 thot1t tlle, geneval developmental histoey of' ee.ch indi•

vidunl in a.ccount1ng fo:r .the caus·a.l · .facto:ra in desertion.

Although, a res~et, follovrn the twelve case

summaries presented, the vaade~ probably will be rewarded

more by a careful study or these records and the analysis; ---------------------------,·----·----·--·-·--··--·····----(l) Appendix, Table n.

24

which follows.each, than.by a mere consideration of the final resl.1mel • The methods used in the framing or the

cnse picrtures · 9.1--e suggestive· or tho elements necessa17 tol.'t. the riri ti cal and wholesome at·oo:t of marital dii'f'1•

oulties~ Material J.'lelier, while necessary in soma ceaes, is not ae essential as the understanding of.tho earlr atimulus•response i'eo.c~iona• Real t~entment will t•ollow

tlle line or Q substitution of ea:rly created:attitudes,. habit pattex-ns, and values, by the t1orker, fOl" the t:..,onds

. . .

ot th~ average folk• . The bette11 plan of treating desor-

.tion lvill come in analyzing tho· problem befox•e the innrital .·"·sevel.Jenee·has .. been eftectotl~· ·Since desertion ia n rnmily

i,

problem;. eouttts will do 11 ttle in sol.v111g the problem, · . lendi.ng onl;r .~ belpft'l msoh1ne%'y fo1~ the aocinlly minded

ind1'7idunls to utilize• Intensive studies or the social, . emotional. intellectual, and pllys:tcal situations. by adept

workers in Family Welfare Soc1ot1es cooperating w1th the aoUl'ts v1ill iteap benefits such as will make possible more

results, a.a ia · 1.ndi ca ted in the Goodman rec<Wd.

Xn the presentation of these case summaries, an effol't at logical division is made.. Those \7herein the social effects are p:c-1mncyat»e.p:t'esented first, and those whe~ein tha·indirtdual unadjustmenta axae px-ima.ey, are last.

. . ·There can be no doubt thnt many family difficulties nre

_dua to the maladjustment of one 1nd1v1dunl. The wife may

25

be 6 :~n the vernacular, •te1 .. aey"; Ol' the~e ma:r be. 1nst1nct1ve or emotional: conflicts, wllich thl"oush sooia.l: unacljustment1

may c:reate .diao1"lte~. on the other hand, ~wo fai11:f.y stable indiv1c1ua.ls, may have such d.1ve21ge11t attitudes that,. ~n tho intimacy of 100.~itnl life.• they elaslh Thia classit.1•· cat19n is n1e11ely tentative fol' we :realize ~~hat each sit• uation must be nna.lyzad ana_t~eated on its own mer1ts; however, in most situations tlle:re al"e trends that nl"~ more p:r-ominent than others. I • FAUILII~S ~ Y:IlBRE:tH THE SOCXAL ,;.~tmmtClBS ARE STRONGP1R. ca a a stucly :ft~l. ~m GOODMAN lf.A.MILY. (1)

. Jake, 24 Irt) "I'S. 1 ·22

Gladys,· 4 Mo.dga, ·2

IN'J.lRODUCTION

Mrs. Goodma.n1 s sistel",, v1l10 was estranged from

her husbD.nd and was strandea. in Kanoas City,. tampora.~117 wo.s staying with the Goodman family •. The si.ste.r, Mrs.

Maitland, had applied to the Family WelfaJJe Society ror transpo~tat1on to return to he~ parents. ~he da.1 follow• ing this request, Mr. Gooclman came to the society wanti,ng groceries. Ha had upent nll his extra money pzaovidtng fo?' his s1ste:r-1n•law. Now he was out or wo11k and could not feed his family. lie told ot bis destitute c!ro~ atnn~es; the children, his own chiitfren, ·were sta~ving; ---------------------------------iilf;·------···---~---Wl!t•••• . (1) All names given throughout the text are pseudon1111s•

bis v11fe was in ri1ga J 11e v;as not asking f'o:r himseli"; 1 t was only ·'.tor the family. · This exngge1'*ated story he told

was colol'ed·to a x-1diculoua shade. Subsequent investiga-tion.~ showed Mv • Goodm.an lmd. been lying, and he hnd been

uains his slster-in•lawts situation as an excuse to get

1 .. elie£.

S1'UDY op· i'BE BACKGnomm

Mr• · Goodman was born on a. re.rm north or l\nnsna

.. City• · t\1len lle via.a four, his fnn1ily moved. to Jtewlett, o.n

· · indtts tl"ial suburb Of KansQS 01 ty • li1s t'a ther was a diaunk•

'-'·rd J . his . r,.1othev .. d.ied. of .. ~\Xl;leit~u1os1s. T~e f o.~ly of. twelve ollildre11 bave failed to adjust themsel~·~a to DO•

ciety. One of the boys ia "a gentlemen of the roadn who h9.s "clone time tt in the Missouri pen1 tentitu"Y. 'l'v10 of

' the gi~ls died or tube1'¥culosis. J~notller sister, because

01• m4f.r1tal d1ff1oulties, ia supposed to have oommittecl

suicidth Several ot the b'<>ys cannot be loco.tedJ hmvaver

two of · them, ·who live in Kt:uisaa City, have been ol1onta

of' tl:l.e Family Walfa~e Society. Lam"a., a.nothex- sister,

live.a in an a~1stoo1'atic ne1p)lborhood on Ridge Boulevard,. apparently having b1'0ken with the original comraunit-y and

. her. :family group. fyhen Hr. Goodman ·left sahool, he went

to \'101~1-t at various odd jobs. 111s o.ssocititea ware n gong

ot Hewlett boys, who nt>ode the l .. Jl1ls~ nnd who wa~e

ttlooaen with women. Mr• Goodrno.n, lilca his associates 1

when he became c11uaat1sf,.ed1 avoided_ the issues and left

27

the city fol' a long "bumtt ,

tt<'trs. Goodman, who wns bot"n in Smitllville,

:Missouri, came from n laborer's family. He:r tatbel"

usually, provided well fox• them;. howevet", their inoo,me t1as

vnr1nblel .being depend~nt upon the rl.vailable wo?tk, \fuon .

M:rs. Goodman was twelve, hex- tarn111· moved to a tov1n of

40,.000 population., At the age of to\trteen1 !41"8• Goodman quit school to work. trha i1djustment. of the family to the

' . ways o:r the ln1,.ger town was not as easy .ss the. adjustments . 1n a small place• Using a wox-lt pemni.t,. nhe wne empleytd

in factories until she was sixteen., when he?' patients moved to Knnsas City. ~ey settled in Hewlett. Sbol'tly .after

moving to F..nnsas 01ty1 he1,. fnthe:r began runnins. around

v11 th lewd women, and the1tt family began a gradtml d1ain•

tegration. HO:JE! AUD NEIGllBOHIIOOD C01fJJI !11IOUS

HeV1lett, v1here Mr. and Mrs. Goodman•s familles

lived, 1a notoPious fo~ its low moral stand.e.rds. Tllis

small community is composed ot tbe stoekynros and the pnoldng plnnta employing mostly unsldlled laborex•s. Altho

Hewlett 1s a part or Kansas City,· ·1t has its definite

·to.nts nnd opposing the illtervention · ot outaide1~s,. SQX\tfll ·

,romisouity is widely practiced, altho the ohuroh el~ments ve!'bnlly oppoae .1 t. vone1 .. al disease is p1"evalent and

feab1em1ndedness abounds. ·

The1:rpa.rentst homes were located upon Kraut Allay, which consists of.little thl'ee and four room, U.."1-

~ie.inted houses 1 l~nting tov five and six dollal.'s a month.

·Thie little industrial village.uses outside toilets be~

cause they have no access to a aev1erage syt,tem.

SCHOOL ls.ND WORK

Mr. Goodman attended sohool until he wns

twelve paa~d;ng'.·o11lyto:.the f'o-iuath gl'ade. His work t-ecord

1s pooi--. · He works \7ell but he is not able to :rer1181n long

on one -,Job.·•. Ml'S' • Ooodmnn" oompleted · the seventh graclo at

the age of fourteen. Hor wo1--k record is good. She is

stencly and. apt,.

DELilIQ,tJEliiCil~.

Mr.. Goodman wus connnitted to the oounty ja1l

fo:r thi:t'ty d•ys- .on .a petty· J.nreecy cha1-.ge. ·He stole

whea.t trom box cars •

COMPAU'IOliS .· ·

M~. Goodnw.n associated with gl'oupa or cn1la ..

lees carefree youngsters as did .Mrs. ·Goodman. The so

young folk Vl&re s.dventuresonie. No one would "take a

de.re". Aa a result some of the joys they ente1•ed into

were~ in Mra. Goodt1ants phraseology, ttwildu.

Il1TEREST3 AUD HABITS

)il.~ • Goodman smokes heavily. At a. ll times, he

is neat and clean. He is not a steady worke~, being in•

oli11od to laziness and to egotism... Re 1a 1ntol."med upon

current me.ttors • · At times he axpl .. eaaes a. symps.thy folk

the I • W • W. While on the "~oa.d" be v;ould otten l.•end ·., !n · ·

the "Wobbl~" lib1'ar1os. Despite these assoo1ations be "

never cn1'\ried a ft red ft ca.re·•

l.11"9 • Goodman is C!U1et 1 ·modest and &ppapentl)t

enjoys he11 home and ch1.ld11enJ however aha enjoys "good.

times'', da11cing o.nd joyr1cli~g with. othev woman':~ husbands,.

INDIVIDUALIZATIOM ·

Mi". Goodman, who haa a. dark sk111 and bin ck·.

11--"lir, is tall. He is e.lways well g~oomed. Despite a

phlegnmtio belw.v1o~, ht~ cold g11ay e;ea aJ:1e penet~ating •. ' . '

trio lmndshake, which lnolts. firmness, i~l cold and Ul.'U'llespon•

s:t.ve. Mrs. Goodlnants nee.t &.nd et·tractive form and cleQ?t

unhos1tnt:Lng :t"a.ce 1nrlict:ites agt•eenbleness •

Both t1tt. nnd l~frs ~ Good.manta psyohiat:r•ie exam•

1nat1on l"eveulori emotion~l 1natnb1lity, ml.f'ocu.soo atten• .

tion. sel1'1slu1ea}l, &nd ge11erally childish attitudes. Onl7

olornenta wllich directly concerned e:t th&J:$ of them v1ero ot 1nte1~est. Altho thei1~ intelligence was a.vex•nge, t1101r

ntti tudes were unsoo1nl. lto1--rnal het1'osexuality apparently

wu:.l not a pe.rt ot their tho1; content. or ox.pex•io11ca • ln

Mr• Goodman, a ma11lted ir1"esponsi bil:t.ty was fouivl. . Of the

tv10 Mru. Goodnu.\n was the more stable J · hov1eve:r- ne5. ther ot '~heir attitucles toward average don1estic living was ravol'•

able. Generally~ despite thei~ adult physical bodies,

30

tllei:r social attitudes vte1,.e those ·ot. ohild11en.

Tim STORY OF· 'l'HE I~AMI!il

Thei:r raapooti ye .fa..'lrl.lies lived as neigbbors

on ~aut Alley. : Tlir'U. tl1e medium of a Rescue Mis:l1on they

first met• Both., p~i.011 to· tlle1j_') mar1 .. inge • had been sex•

ually loose. Afte1't tt few months of i'1•ionclship, Mrs. Good-

m.,."\n fourld ·hei,self pregi'Ult1t. In 1919, at the l .. aspecti ve

ages of nineteen and seventeen, they wore mur1•ied • · Sovan

months later Gladys w&.s born• Neithe~ Mr• 03' Mra. G"Ood• man a1'G cei--ta:tn vrho is the to. thex- of' this child for nbout

the ·time at~ be~ conception1 r"zas • Good:mfu:1 lwd been ha v!ng

aexua1 111te~cC"-lrso with otber b~rs • Un+t1J. after the 'tJ.rth

or the child; · the couple 11 ved with M1"'s • GQodmRn ts pnr•

~nts~ · Sho1 .. tly followil\S t)le bi.11th of' Olndys, I!r• Goodman

deserted ancl went west• Xn n few months he :returned~ how•

an.:""tioua to \vo1'1lt,; ·thua the n1n•lawa" developed nn anti•

·pa.thy tO\<Jfl.1-ad him. Vlh1le he was in Ilewlett, othel' boy3

· ~1ould constantly l~ecall to him his wifots previous im•

moralities• Added to th1a ·was the constant q:u.ti1"reling in

the home. which nsui.ated Mr• Gootlri.lfln in deciding to deaei•t •

Later, they made othor efforts to live to•

gather in .furrtished r·oomn. For n short period nll would

go well. T".uen, they would get on enoll. othora ne:rvaa n:id nv1a~ ?il"• <.'TOOO.nuan· would go. His wire then would r0ttL.~ to

her parents. This li.ns been repea. ted sever~l times dll:f 1ng

31

th~ past five yetu ... a. · Rega1~d1ess of these '.tmng sttuationi, both or these Cl:*eatures n1>peai"' to have l.'l'Erta1nad. a love toP

thei1~ children and .en ch other•

Wh~n on d.esel"tiont.t1 Mr. Goocb11an. xaoruned thl'Ough•

out the Wf?St, going on .aeye1~l · ocensio1ts · ~o the coast.; He

stayed a \7hile in Denver,. ~7hcre he received tr~atmt.n~t foll.

gonorrhen, \·rllich he ·eont:ra~tec1 whil.e .on bis l1~tle .• tr1P·~.

At Sa.n Fl'.tnncisoo, he :rept1atec1 ~he proeoss~ · · Alt·tGt.y.o_, his

worlc playett ou~t 01 .. the· deai1->~ to l1Qam waa. so st1 .. o~g <1.;bJlt .. ·

ho failed. to complete his tre!!tmant lei1ving the diaenne·

to bocomo chronic. On nll tl1eae tll:tpa he \1aa .sexuall7

looge.

~trs • Goodman, du~ing th(H~@ ctestnitiona,. went

riding with othel:' rrien or Hewlett• She admits ht~.Ving

zexual :I.n·te1,cou12se w:t th sevax'&l mon, Sh'S' too contt-tllcted gonox•rhea. •

When the Fa.mil;; Welf'azae Soe1$ty ~first became

111te:rcsted in the f&nd.ly, a jo1J was aecurerl J~Ol' Mr. Good•

mnn at c. packing plant. !Io :received thi:rty.•five dolllil'I

a ·weok. A~ the end or the first week, he dl1aw his t1011ey,.

a.ml quit • He told hie ·wif'e . he had boen "J.ayoc:l ott0 , t\nd

th11t he would tl""J the corn fif>ldo ror wo~k.-. Fo1~ tho rollo\rl.ng two months ho we.:J goml.

Oll lu~·i return, he lJegan ster-tling v~heR.t tl:'om

box ca1,s • having told bis wife· l1e ·,vas employed in Kan~;as · '

$t>i1t Jnoed to tlrl.i,ty days in tho county. ja.11 • · The day he . - .

was i-eleased a worker from tho F1amily VZeli'at'e Societ:r met him nnd 1ns1sterl tha·c be either tnlce cnro or his .wife or he would, ba p!'osaou·ted tor r1on-auppol't •. Afte1• sevet•:il hours .or :t•easoning aud persuasion, Ml'• Goodnia11 1nc1:1cnted

ho \vould l~t.ulnl .a11d auppo~t· his w1te4

.Again work vms. secured· rott h1in. Within t1ro

weeks, he came to the Family Welfa.zte Soo1et~· telling of his gonorrheal eondi tion. He ·wanted nn examination nnd elin1o ti~a:t1nent • He was ·thin# h1s tempeJ:,n.tu11e \YtlfJ highJ and the mati appeared sick.. Following ti thol"o plcy'sicnl

R1'.'J.i1, !l"l<:~ri~al e~$lnine. ti on, he w&a given gonorr~hoa t~rJ.tmG!lt • a.i'ld. also his l'd.fe, /~bout once a wctllc the paychini;111st eaw him and his w:Lte.

Since their last attempt at living togethor, they- hava llnd onl.y a .favr qun.1'1"els. These wo:re mostly

ovel:i past inrmoral,ities, J\t times ltl11 • Gooclmnn' o tempera• me11tal nnd egot1st1c.ul natu.1'a gets the batte~ or his judg-

L1ent, and he and M1'is. Goodman quru.1rel ovaxa bet' dancing with othe1• me11• v.nd petty jealousies• Generally, this last effort at home life has been successful. Al\vays pre-v!ottsly tliey have l;>een vd. th or close to parent a. Notv

the1 are established in nice qurll .. te1,.s, v1here thoy nre buy-

ing .,thE1i1i .t-Urnitlll'e. Mzt. Goodman has vegular v1ork ~ ~he7

·a~e plannt!1g on buying a home on the installment plan QS . - .

aoon·aa they pny fol* their ftwn1ture. The Community House

or the clini;:r•i(rt; gives them wholesome rec11eation. 'The further developmcmt ot mox•e aoe1al attitudes is a problem £011 the t1•co.tment of tl:i.o . yetl,ra to ~on1e·~.

S!ONIFICAUT FAC.Tons IN .. TIIl1' PUQBLE~:SlTUlkTIOM

A. Sooinl rnalndjustiuont

la Orlais ·

'~\i&r11els · over past lnnnorol1 ties ot l)ot1i often · were · the tlppn:csent oauaes of. ·the th.~eel."tions •

0110 member ·would elude • the othel" l'i·ega:t~ing . . ' .

a pant irn.raoral s1tt:mt!on1 tth1<Ul. wcmld letu1 to unpltw.eJttnt wo,,~s • .and. in a ome c~.un~s at.-tornpts af' 11r • Good.man to beat 11.ta w:tr~~. ·

2. Contl1cta Ql"' constant f1'lictione

over- living \dth the "1n-.lnt1s" Ov'"er who infectacl the othe1~ w1 th gono:t'rhea

OVCH' dtlncing ~nd the use of profanity

ove.r ·Mx·s. Ocwdman' s smokirig, or wh~t.oh be.x-

husbn:nd d1anpp11oved • . 3. Absence ot wholeaonie fs.n11ly traditions and. nt~

t1tudi3s duo to:

Their 'br-oken chi ldltood homes

Comll-itt.lli ty approva,l or sex looseneaa. r~ow wages~ c~owded. houses, which mnde whole•

' '

some frunily life dtffieult i~~ Hew:lett. Barly sex expe1"ienneu v1hila going w1tb:

"tnstn crowds P.tt1tudes of family life that 1'71'*• Goodman

secured trom the "rondn and from the t:r:-a•

dit1ons of "Hobohem1a.tt Attitudes tlt~tt Mt•a. Goodman developed from

her .rathett•-s loosenas~J.

4. Industrial disorganization Especially times wllen tacto1•1es were closed,

fo:t .. o1ng Ml'*• Goodman to .visit other sections

ot the country in aea.rch or woi"lt• or fo110•

. · 1ng him to steal. B. Pe1•sonal unadjustment and d:Lsol"gani~ation

l ~ I11ne11 contli ots a. lttt• Goodmanta strong \viah i'Ol" n.uv1 exper•

1enee

It is little ~eatI'ainad by the wish for l:'a• sponse beeauae er easy access to sex oxper• iences away fvom l101ne • It is encouraged by

the knowledge of his w1tets :1.nf1del1t1eo • . It 13;, also, encouraged by the faot thnt at times, he has been n fugitive r~om justice.

b. Mrs. Good.manta wish to~ new e~tpGrience.

Stimulation comes often because of the con-tinued absence of Mr. Goodman f1"om tha

home. It also comes with the das11"0 for

good timus, intimate relations with other

men, danoin.g, and "joy-~ides" •

e... Pevsonal ha.bits that repel

Each has the ha.bit. of ·nagging at·· the other · about previous sex expe1~1enoes.

3. Mr. G·oodman • s seltcentvednes s Hence he .ia ·rela.tive.11· unc)onoerned about tlle ·

suppo1"t or his family and· the attitude of · ·

the coimnuntty. towaru· h:tni. 4. Unstable pa:r-sonal1tie:3 of both pavties ~

The~ are emotionally ulidewlopedJ howeveit ' '

tl1eix- 1ntelle.ots ave qu1te all ~ight ' "

theil' interests cunnot bEJ 1'oeussed; thGJ are diuintop~atecLJ hence they ure ch1l.<l1sll end ..

egotistical. ·

Elements of ltro appeal only to their sel~

fislmess~ Md as e. result, they i11•e devoid '·

of respon~d.bil1 ty •

c. Other fucto1•s ot possible imp0rtm ce •.

l. Lack of mutual confidence 1n eacb otllei-. wluoh

dates bsclt to thei:tt forced ma~:riage.

2. Inte:rfel."ence of the tt1n-laws11 , which created an~

tips.thy on the pa.1--t of M:t•• Goodman.

3. Laok or rurniture nnd othett prope1~ty to aet as

a stabilizing factor.

CO.He study #2. Tm~ FISI\I~ It1AMILY

Don 43 llttl"'ion sa

36

Ax-nold

'l'!ny LOuord Eleanor ae~tie

20.

17, 14, ll, a I.

»1a!'rled nnd now Navy.· mar:t'l1ed. at home. tf ft

» "

in tho tt."'11ted Stntes

Mrs. F1ake1 until 19201 received thru the

Juvenile ooui .. t, an alL"11ony ot fift.7-f! ve dolls.l's pa::-

month f:rarn her husband. I1t 1917, one yeatt nfto111 thoir

a1 .. r1val in Kanaas City, Mr. Piske had desertod heza because

ot enothe:r vioruan, lira. Jolms • The Board of' Public Welfare

and the o~t otficiails · hnva 0011·~1nued 1nte:i.'est even tho

the F~111:tly Wel.fa11e Society b.ad accepted tho roupcnaibil•

i ty • Mrs., Fialce,, oince the tlaset"tion nnd. sub::mquont c11•

vor•ce, has ha.d two ubo:t•tiona • MllS • F1ake is ovtn•-aoxacl,

tance of the strong aex 'tU•ge in Mrs* I«1iska is 1nta1'est-

ing, ro~ so nmny times desertion 1a .attributed to the

ncoldneas" of the woma11.. on the other hand, the fact .

that Mr. Fiske is less pe.aa:tonate than his ldfe mny act

as an 1ntel'estilt.g contril'>Utin.g facto!'.

STUDY OF THE BACKGROUND

?ill"• Fiske ~,vas born nnd spe11.t the early pnl.1t

of llia life on a Kentucky tarr4, Ilia rrunily went to Vlin•

leig11, A?iltanaas, \Vhen he wa.a only s~. He continued i:o

live on this farm, which was fOUl.1 miles from Vlinl~31gh,

u11:til he reached eighteen. several years a1•tel." theil' re•

moval. from Ke!ltuoky, his tathexa died. A fe\v months later,

his rlother married. a Mr. numm.ell,, v1ho, as n eta~fatbel', proved to be n liabil1 ty. b!r. nummell~ who wns .not . ld.nd to the boy, made him vmrk early and le.te.. Altb.o Mr, Fiske desired to attend SC'llool,, his step•tather· v1ould not pe~• mi t 1 t. After stnndilll..\ the a~ ,.nsul ts e.11d unplea.sant. ocil•

d1tions tnnny yea.X's; he leftt home wbe·n he. '~6.s nineteen end went on an extenai ve "bumming tot.u--" 1 wbich lits't;ed over a

• . ·, i,'

10Ql' • On tba trip, llO t'.ttde neW .OOntROtS I t?..f1:d_ Md manr novel expe:riences, which he i-.e_~ated to ~11~ ,r1-.1enda of the. omall tovtn with much br-a.vado. t1nt,~l ld .. s mal'r1age, "which

was the next year, Ml"• 1.,iske WOl'ked in a sav1-1nill at W:tn• · .. :.

M:rs, Fiske al:~o wi1s bot•u on a ta:vm. When she

was four yea11s · ot · age, hor people moved t:i:•o.m MisaouXt1 to

a fa1~m i1oar Wi11leigh1 wlrl~cll they rented. ?:4l"Sh Fiske at-tended the rurnl a chool. 'Uh.en uhe wa.a only twe 1 ve years

oJ.(l~ her fu.the1' <lied, and a yea1 .. ls.tel" her mo·thexs passed. By this . time her oldest bx•othel" had mt:a-l?ied, and he took lmr and. hor sister into his home to raise. Be v1as .not lcind to hex- and oonatant disagreement for the ne;tt two years put her in nuch n flacame ot mi11.d tht!t ·when she had

the oppo:x•tuni t7 to trm.rry, she did urihositatingly • IIOM.E M~D Nr~I mmoHHOOD CO!lDITI ous

ls.rs. F1iske owna a nice little two room hou.ee in Breckenridge, which is· located just outside the corpora• at1on l1ti1ts Of this city. The loc11tion,. geographically,

is high and dey. The moral tone or the community is rn1r.

although numerous oases of domestic differences occur

there each yea~. ?ttost membe:t:ts of th1s group llnve only a

gllade.·.achool educa.t1on, or leas, and belong to the labor-. ' '

ing ole.ss. only a few of the homes a!'e ranted. Moat ot them alle be:t11g bo~gllt on an installment plan. There nre

several churches, good schools;· a11.d nearby parka and play-

grounds. Since the location is outside tho corporation

line and county otf1e1nls are ll:lX; much bootlegging pre•

vails. several homes e.1~e known' tor ·harbouring gambling

dens. An amusement pa1 .. k with n dancing pavillion 1s lo•

cated about one mile :fron1 tlleil' 11ome. The local stores,

while \Yell kept, are unt'ensonably high in prices,

SCHOOL AMD 11i<lORK

Mv. Fiske attended school in the country,

reaching the fourth grade, when he wns fo~oed by the step•

father to stop school and go to worl<• His worlt l"eoo:rd

with the railroad, as a car inspector, is or the beat,

Ha was steady and reliable, earning about $165.00 per

month.

Mrs. Fiske attended the rural schools until

she wns sixteen, :ranching only the fif'th grade. The l'e•

sult of' hal:' unplea-sant home life kept hor so worried that she could not study• Dl!;LIMQUEiiCIES

M:r •. Fiske was .o.rde:red b,, the t t .., COUl' O pay

39

only f1fty•f1ve dolls.rs a month as alimony" to bis· wife and

child:ren. He ~'fas then living outside ot the home; rooming at Mrs. Jobn•s quest1onnblo hotel, and he lmd not ·bean contributing to his own family, COMPAliIONS

Mr. Fisk~ e.saoc1ated freely lvlth the other men

or the shops, and mixed well with llis neighbors/ un.t11 he began his apparent aa11eer ot debauohe1w1

Mrs. Fiske. e.l,1nys hna mai11tu1nec1 the triend• ship of hor ne1ghbors and is oonn~cte~.a~tively with one of the chuvchea. She is well liked, and despite hex- im•

mo1\ality, o.11 the folk or the oomntunit1 defend bei:t.

INTErmsTS AMD lL\BITS

Up until 19161 MI"• Piske always waa interested in his family and his home. He attended bis wovlt with

regulnrity and ptJovided well fol" his depande11ts •. It. seems,.

after moving to 1\0nsas City, that Mv. Fiske frequented

barbe~ shops, wl~oh were raanttged by women'·ba194ba~a• and

soon nftel" began to associate witb them. Always he was· fond or being petted. He was 111teveated alao in current events and read the daily pape·l'S •

Mrs. Fiske is neat appeH~1ng, good looking, tho a bit faded. She dresses vdth co.re and ta.ate• .. She

enjoys hor chilc11.,en, sews t~ them and keeps them 1rnmac•

ulately clean. They a~e d1'*essed 1n cha:rming styles, regardless or the fact thnt all the~ clothes a:re rnade

40

over. l1Ira. Fiske 1.s also fond of good clothes, of nice .. .

household goods, -and is .anxious that her childx-en be

·liked, admired tt?ld eduented,

l1IDI VIDUALIZATIOU

Mr. Fiske. dur~ns their time together, was .always kind. ·At· t1nieu, though, ha was egotistical, ovar-

b~aring, and v;as always elated when some.one "mndett oveI'

him. When b."e w~s fondled, cnrressed, and petted by Mrs. Fiske• s~e could always gain he1~ ends• . He enjoyed _sex-

ual intercourae j. · yet ·he \rvas not of an ext1"emel1 pass1on-

~ te ·dispost·~:ion •. · . . .

· 11rs ·• Fiske, when first exnminecl by a psyoh1a-

tnst, gave the 1mpl:'easion ot being untruthftll1 unstnble,

and emotionally badly shaken up• She would ac1m1 t only

that she 1-uid been immoral witb ·one man, o.nd that a mis-ca~r1ege was caused by too strenuous work. Since then, however,· she has admitted that she had been inuno1"nl on

several oocas1ons, and gives now, as ber 1"eason, that ahe wanted to hnve nice clothes fol" her children, o.nd

each of the men Pl .. om.1sed that she would have these. With

clinical treatment tov he3.'1 physical condition, because she 1a delicate and fra11J with regular consultation with the psych1atr1st1 she has improved in truth telling, alid

apparently is interested in tha more or less normal out-look or life rather than merely the sexual and the triv-

. oloua.

41

' Tiffi S~OHY OF TIIE FAMILY

V/hen' ?ilr• Fislte Nt~ned to Vlinleish• secured a good· job at the eaw-m1ll, i1nd pressed Mrs. Fiske tor marriage, she · we.a glad indeed ~o accept his · of t~r, for hex- home life with he~· brother was not pleasant. ·They··

had knatvn each othel' since they' 'we:re small' cbildren1

they hn.d. gone to school together and had played in the same groups J and ns they grew up· togeth~l."1 as tvas the

custom of the country,· they *'1>.ad gone togethel."ttt • She

wns sixteen, and· he only twenty4'1one 11 when they were mar• ·

ried. Shortly following mn:r1'io.ge, they moved to

Albany 1 a near-by town, whe1~ tbey lived fl yea~ of "per. · t'ect happiness". 1'~r. F1ake l1atl an oppol'tuni ty to rent a ·

good farm in an adjoining cotuity. ~his locntiori was

pleasant ror about a year, until theiv house burned, de•

straying all thei:t' possessions. Fox-. a ahol"'t time they ·

returned to Vl1nloi'e;h, where they 'lived on the f'Efrra with

her b1•other. A good job at ~yettev1lle a.gain took them

away. Since they we1~a not suacesafftl the~, they came

bnclc to tlle old home town, where Jll"'• ·Fiske went 1nto the lumber bus.inaea. Tlley we:t'e. now acqui~ing a tnmil:-

nnd the prassur~'of the increase denisnded a larger' income than the lumb.er business could provide. "Van Burea.n ofte.:red

work 1n the. railroad yards• so i:iga.in. they moved. ·Mr •. Fiske ~ • • I

was suited to this wo1 .. kl' and he soon was mnde an inspector

ot cars. W1 thin a 7esu.-. • they tvera tranafel"rad to Tulsa• ·s1nce then, and for the. following eight years, they moved every few months to·a new town.· Their domestic fidelity ·appears to have been unbroken until they wera transter~ed to Kansas City in 19.lG.

As Mr. Fiske settled. in Itnnsaa C1i..7, he began to ~un aroUnd with a woman ba~be~ and stayed out lnte at n1gllt.· In the course of a short time. he beou111e deeply interested in this Mvs. Jollns. For a yenr Ztfrs. Fislce

·atood ·the tol"mentG, t:rying to reason witli him to stop his •' ,. . . .

Wild. 11f'e f'OV the .srike ot ·'lds child1-aan a.nd hia home, but

w1 tllout auc.oess. : Finally, .she allowed him to lea. va be-cauae. ebe believed.he would be happier.

/;.bout ·this time, she was left five huncll~ad

· ·aolln?'s by a brothel.'•s · eato.t~ 1 nnt1 ·she purchased a home on the installment plan.· 1-il',• F1~1ke helped hel" to get settled;; and then went to 11 ve \d th Itl:rs. Johns, who be-side her ba1ibev wo:r•k, conducted a rooming house• Mrs, Fiske took the matte~ to the court, and continued to ob-tain the .fifty-.tive dollars par month until 1922, when ~. Fiske and Mrs. Johns left town. Since. both of them lmew the btu•bering busineaa and lb.~s. Johna lmow rnnnicur-ing, it is believed they left to start a shop in another e1ty.

The two boys soon becamo "problernn children, and were sent to McOUne homo, n municipal farm for de•

linquant boys. Lnter Leonard was sent to the state re-

43

toi-m1to17. Although one 1s out·, they both are 1ncorxa1g1• ble. Tiny bas caused some difficulty because of l1Un.ning

nround with men, a.s has 'Mx-s. Fiske. 'fhe Famil7 Welfare

Society ha~ supplemented the eoonom:l·c neeess1t1es, when it baa been impossible for ?.b~a. ·Fiske to work. SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN THE PROBLEM SITUATION A. Social maladjustme11t

l. C11isis

MI*• Fiske left ·tlle home to ·rQom at ·itx-s •

John's place, which while· not the cause, merely wns the event that p1"eC1p1tated the b~eak. Also the interference of the al1mon.r with nth1.s ri-.eadom" roroed the issue of leav~

ing the city. 2. Contlioto

M1'. Fiske desired to be 0mada ·ove:r" • liis

wife hnd i;he same dea:lre.-' Conaequentlf, na1-·

the!' one '"Has pleased, "· Mrs • E'iske was more eoonomt cal tlw.n her hua.;_·

band•· A probable conflict issued because in~ sexual intercourse Mv.· Fia·ke le.1"gel7 \Vns con•

earned with his own· satisfaction. and since his wife was st~ongly sexed,· demanded more ~e~· sponse from him than 1 t was necesaal7 fott · hia own satis1--aotion.

3 • Absence ot family values ,

Mr. F1slcets attitude t<rt2.rard ftim1ly 11.fe y-.;as·

lax. due to his s~vei'e. tveatment at the hnnds

ot bis step•fnthar. The snubbing back of the

desire of education and propa~ childhood re-, '

Cl.'teation, and tha. forcing .o~ early v:orlc c1~a­

. ated nn ideal or. "homatt, which was not con-. • I

ventional. Just v.1l1St pal"t or the ea1•ly

"burmningu t~ips had to do with formulating

this ideal is not known.

4. ~he economic aspect Because of the nature of his job, the Fiske tamily bad·been·forced to move often, and it

ne~er had any t1x1ty to a group, ne1ghbo~­

llood, or land; consequently Mr. Fisketa de• sire fo~ new experience was contintuilly st1m• ulated 1 and there was no corresponding devel-opment of n security motive • .

B. Pe1 .. sonal unndjustment and disozage.niv.ation

l. Inner conflicts

irr. Fiske's desiro fol* new expe:ttienoe was along witll his desire 1'01• affection and recognition, .

all of which the women be.:rbe1'*s gave him. As

a ·result,, the_ idea or secw.'ity was lost, o.nd

home life ceased to have an appeal. !tt~s. Fiske

did not "pet" him enough.

Mrs. Fiake•s desire ror new and pretty things,

expresses a des1~e for new expe~ience, in a

45

to1~m that '!Ef ·not deterniental to the domestic.': · Ol"gan1zat1on, ·a1t110· in tbis case, it is not' ·

integrated with sectiritr• 2. · Pevaonal traits•

. . .

M1--s ~ Fiske ts ageing and fading due to child•'"

blrth'~nd age,.. ·was an inducement ·for•·MX*. Fiake

to aeelc the appeal of .Younge:t'· \vomen, 'Be:r de•

· ter1oration tended to:agltate him, 3. · Mental.' d.iso~e~s·.·

on the pa.1"t or 'both, ·we not~ .. extremely over• developed libidos, and desi~e roi> vecogtd.tion ancl. e.tte11tion, which it?-Cl'eased· the nm.rt tel.···.

difficulties. All Qi."· tlJe children indicate

this tendency. c. Oth~r factors of possible importance

la Mrs• Johns and Mx-. lt"iske were so e<xpevianced

they could enter into· n business of theil" ·

own. .The late sooial value of ttpal'tnel"sh1p ·

in marl'iage" evidently was literal in the attitude tho.t till'. Fiske took toward it•

Case Study #3. THE ORAMF.!R FAMitI Willian 32 Jessie 30

Talmadge lG Russell · l

46

IlfTH-4JDlJOTI 011 .

. In 19231 J!Ir• Orrunel'* applied ror nas:t.stnnce,

because he had been out of work. O~n.taets with .Ml:'s • Cramer

indicated. that she.d1<1 no~·approve or charity and would not .. ' . . ~.

accept it. Pr~vioua ~o this time, and fl.1om the beginning ot theil' me.t'riage, she h~d always .asaia.ted Mr. Ornnier in

making a living,.but now, she could not do so, ?ecausa or pregnancy• iti-.s • , 01'nn1ei-• s mother •. who was supporting nn

invalid husband tookcn11e. of them until Mr• Cro.ma:x- found . '

worlc. Nothing furthe11. wna hear~ of the family until

19251 when they again applied,, beonuse they wero out ot v10:rk and ttrs. Cramer was 111.

STUDY OF THE BAOICGHOUUD .

Mr. Cre.mezt Wf}.S born in a. smnll mining town in

M1ssouv1. He is o.n only son. · Until he vras eight years

of age,, he lived with a r,:nt~rnal grandmother~ at whioh

time he went to 11ve w:t th his mother, \vho bad. thon re-

married. Mr. Orrunerts fathe:tt wan twenty-two years older than bis mother, and deserted bis v:ife bef~a his b1rth. The first night of their mnr1'l1age, his ra.thel' rarr.ainod

away all night from his bride because his fviends joked

him a bott~ his. marriage. He has not been seen since his

desertion. Ha was a miner, and before his nar1"1nge 6 he

lived 111 a little. hut,, which ha owned, that was just out-side the town .. whe:re lle 11 ved. He bnd never been mal'ried

before.

47

In the sp1"1ng, ?rt?'. G1,nmel" loved to go into th~

woods nnd stay days at a. time. His motbe:r did not kn.OW

wlle1"e he wns. He would pack s.oma clothing in a pnper and

go. After n time, be would retu1"n home.. H1s step-father

encouraged him in this practice, often going with Mr• Cramer on these exouxisiona. M1--. c1,.nme1'* neveP. had atcy' re•

spons1b111ty until nfta~ h1s marm.age, because his lWand• tnthe:t' and his stap .. tnther assUlned all that v1as uecessaey

while they 11 ved,

M1:'S. o~mel' was bo1~n 111 a sma.ll town in liissoun, · and as a ch:tl.d lived there and attended theil' schools. At

the age or sixteon,. aha mnr11ied .M:r. ?doore, whom she had .

lmo\"m for five years. They lived with be:v parents the ' . '

first part 01• theil' tnal'vied life because ·of economic rea-sons. Since she was the on.ly child,· of r.mursa,. her pal.'ents

did not wo.nt her to leave home• tiowever, the following •,,

yea.1", she and Mr, Mool"e moved to n nea1lby town, whera he

became involved in a scandal with a local gi:rl. She

then lo.ft Mr. Moore, l."etu11ning to he1~ parents whe.iie Tal•

nmdge, hor son, was bo:rn, two yea rs arte1~ thei:v ms.r111age.

The next yetu• she nnd he:r pa1-.ents moved to Kansas City,

v1here ahe secured wo1~lt in candy shops• She seoUl"ed a

di VOl:lce. I11 the cou1 .. se of the next rou:rteen yea1•s, she

had been mUl'ried and divorced four more times. Each time her husband would not talte care of heP, she ~ould divorce him and return to her parents. lt is of interest .

48

to know tl1B.t ahe never l1ved with a ~san without fi~st

marrying llim.

norm .AliD lIB!IGllBORHOOD C()UDITIOMS

Mr• and !~tl.')a • crame:r both we r.e reared in small

mining communities, and their parents moved to Kansaa. City,

v1hile they still we1~ in their. teo~s· 1'111 • Crnmerts par-

ents live in a small bouse in the poclt1nghouse d1 nt:ttict,

which is the result of economic pressure nnd not their

choice. They ~.~~end a little community church not tnv from the home. M1 .. s. Cl'::unaI•'s tml:'ents live in a small

t .. lat in the tenement diat~ct, in v1h1oh they have lived

since they moved to the· city. Ueithel" they, no1• the

O:ramex-t a oval:' have owned_ the ix- owii ru:rni tlll'e a1l1ce l"eaoh•

1ng the city. Despite the. ove:r cvowding, Mrs. Cra.mor

insists upon living '~ith he.I' parents and V#ill not leave

them.

COMPJd~IOWS

Mr. Crame1" tells his wife nothing of his com-

panions, though she ·often has seen him in pool-1•ooras on

the no:rtll side associating with very rough looking man.

l!l"s • Crnme1., mingles very 11 ttlo with othora

than her own relatives, never visiting the neighbors.

During he~ school days~ she had only a tew friends, al-

ways prefe~ri11g to be alone. INTERESTS AND lllillITS

Mr. Oramev neve:tt used tobacco nor does he

49

dt-1nlt, although he does play pokel" and pool •. ·. He likes to·

rish, but always goes alone• · He is interested in his

amnll son. but nave~ pnys any attention to his wifa.. Ai;·

all times, he baa .indicated a tendency to beg.

liI'S • Ora mer does not i 1at1d, takes p11s cti cnllJ no rool:ten.tion, not. having beer1 to.· a rJovie, in t\70 7ea11s~

Now o.nd thon she goes to chu~eh·• She ,ia intevest1,;d in.~

hor son, Talmadge,. and f"o1~ his sake attends parent teacbe11

meetings nnd school nffa1rs. Slle is fond of ta~king about her pbysical d1m1b1l1tiea... She 1'1ever gossips about hor neighbo1--s •

SCHOOL AMD \70nK

Mr. C1~mer finished the fourth grade. He is

a good wo1~ke1" but irill not hol.d a job . for &r11 length of·

time. He usually quits without notice. ttia excuse to his wife is that he is loolting foz- o. better job.

Mi--a. Oramel"' completed the seventh grade. It was difficult fo1-. 001-- to learn, howevel' she iiked to attend school. He?t ViOl'k record is good.

D!~LIItQUEUCIES

'l'heI_'e are none lmow. INDIVIDUALIZATION

_l&a..o~mo!! ia a blond, with ~athar ple~s1ttg featUl'ea. He keeps himself' clean. Fol'l the most pa?*t.

he is amiable, easygoing, and at times, emotional. His . ~ '. '

speech is heaitat;t.ng, and he never.h!ts defixrl.te _ideas oxa

50

plans in regard to aeything. All his decisions he will

gladly leave to others to make. Mrs. cvsmar is a tall da~k-eyed, raw-boned in•

d.ividual, v1ho 1s stolid end l"atber phlegmatic• She is

always oomplaini11g of her illness, but never will accept

medical attention., She nags Mr. Crnmel' a great deal. THE STORY OF THE FA}tILY

Mrs., Ora.mal' met hett husband while employed in

a care. lVhe1 .. e ha ate. Mr. Cl9amer toolt her mnny times,

prior to their .mnrr1age 1 to his pn~·ento,, whei-ae she \~ms

treated kindly a~d welcomed. Dttring. one ~r these v1s1ts, ·she learned that Mr. C1"tim3:t' had been p:rtavioua~y rnnr1"1ed.

At first, he denied it, but foll0\'11ng thei1., marr1ngo, ha

told her about it• A wo111an or tort7•f1 ve got ll1m to mnr--.!7 he~ when he was. ~1.xteen. She ouppo1"ted him, de•

rnanding sexual intel .. oousa fl1eqttently. Under the stt.tain,

he soon g1'Jaw sick. Ris motl1el:' · lenx·ned or the si tuo.tion

and bad the rant•r1nge annulled• .

The Orame~t a 11 ved vri~ th her. tmi'ents !'or six

months following thei1" mn~1-.1nge. Mrs. Crnr.ae~ continued

to r.rol"k,. and he ~nly had ocld jobs• Theil' se~'1.Ull l1fe

was plaaaing to both. Mrs. Cramel'ta determination to

live w~th her pnttenta proved to be thei:r chief obataole

to ha.ppineaa. li.lso, any time that he would attempt to

d1ae1pline ~?t:\lmadge, hel" son by the former ma~rio.ge • she

would reaant it. Ml"s• Cramer- continued to nag Ml"• CNmer

51

until hebaca.me exaspe:t'ated. Piece bJ pieee he took his clothes ove11 to his pa1-.ents, and when he bad moved it all,.

mnde no attempt to see hal:'. She t~1ed to.fo11ce himt.o. support hel', but v-rhen this failed, she divorced him.

Sixteen days la.te1 .. , 01t his pl'omise to suppo:rt

ber. they wa:ra remnl .. l'ied. They still continuetl to live

with her parents. She v1orlted ·until hei- ,.p:regnanc1• . He then was thrown ottt oi'. a job•.. To lteep t1•0ai1 :being nagged

to death he a ought aid :1'1 .. om the Family Welf'a.~e · Society•.

Whan M1\s. C:t'at.nel." raruaoo to a.ccept .. the ii':td·,, hex- mothe~

ass1ated he1"', nnd ?ill:'s. 01-.amer obta1.nec1 wo11k ·witl1 a. re.la•

tive, whom he helped tor a year •. n,u1--ing tlus time·, they··

bour,-)1.t. furni tu~e on . the installment. ··.Pt;~•- M:rs. Cramer

alrmys haa managed the finances or the household. It was

through her efforts that the fttl'nit'tll."e was bought. This.

is not . pa.it~ ,fo1• as yet.

Two months after the baby was bol"n., M~ .• Cramer

thought he could secure mo1•e employment in. his home town.

The families then moved to this place, ltel" mother. pa.id

e. ll the expense a or moving. lllrs • · Crt:imel" did not l1lte the

smnll town, so she and her mother l"Otu~ned to the city.

151:'. Cramer soon followed. Hel" ill•heQlth and lds unem• ployment soon· forced the~ to aooept help trom the society

for a period of five months. llr. Oru.me~ trdce told his

wife that he was employed, but when he ·brough~ home no.'·

checlc, ha confessed to ha.VW.ng,_.11-ed. · Hiar- rea~~ for_ 17~ng

52

\vas ·to prevent the qontinuai nagging and scolding., ·

· Mr. Cramer usually· spends his nights at home

playing witll his small son, but he never talks oi-- joins in the conve~sation.

Work has bec~n obtained roi- him three times,

but each time he has quit. !Vha fix-st job he quit fox- o. bette~--· one. Thi~ ona was only tetnpornry 1 and after two

\Veaks, he was again out of employment. The other two jobs,

he left to go fishing~ v~'hen. drast:to action v1e.s thra~tenod

him fO?' non-suppo11t~ lle desettted • . SIGMIFICAMT Fft.CTORS IN Tl!E PROBtEM SI~'UATIO!'I

A• .'Social tnaladjustment

l. Crisis

Mll .. Cramer was t~entened with coUl"t action because he would x1ot work and support his

wire, so he left for good. 2. Conflicts

. over living with the parents of Mrs• C::ramer

OVev the non-support problem

ove~ the scolding that Mr. Cr~rner would get for not wo1~king

Ovei• 'l.1tillms.dge, a feeblenli.nded son of ?.b.,s.

cram()l,'>f s by a ro1•mev maxi:r.'liage.

3. Absence of ~n1olesome fnmily traditions ~nd attitudes. due to;

53

Mr .. Oi"a.mer neve1,. hnd e1tper1euced. respo.nsib!l•

1 ty u..11t11 mar1'Jio.ge. He had eppnr~nt:.ly entered

:r.mrr1age wi ·t;h defined purpoaes. !11a firs·t

wife, \~ho was twenty years Older ~han b.im~elf,

alvmya bod suppo11ted him~: Sha. n1arl'111ed him tor. sexual pleasui~e. I!is early lif'e ·encl l1om.e

training would not have given him evan a qunsi• .

normal conoept·of home life, In his ramily there was alao the tl:io.dit:ton of ltis fa.tbe1 .. t s deoa~tion ..

Ml"'O • Crnmei"'s f'atlle:<' ha<\ always supported the family well• She got .r1cl of he:t" five romner. husbands when 1;hey ceased to support hei .. ~ AP•

pnrently 1 homa;. to her; was a well aeeured. ·

place t() live, where she v1ould lm.ve plenty to

eat ~net just coulcl .. oit nrotu~ and do nothing

nfter she. he.cl completed he~ householtl \1:10111k•

4• Inc1uat1-.1a.1 dinorga1rl .. zation

At times Mr• 01 .. ame:v he.s not been abl.e to flnd

work;' howeve~ on several ocoas1ona, work has been located for hit11~ and then. the. call of the out-of-doors to fish i;1ould. be stronge).'J than

he could resist.

Those llabi ts that he had fO>."nlOd in ~a~ly child•

hood \1ere so ·strong the.t it was impossible top him to i--aact in maxa1;1ied life, .ea the ave~age do.

B. Pe~sonnl unadjustment nnd disorganization i. lni."'ler.·_ conflicts.

"

U1,., 01-.amarta overdeveloped wish f Ol.' 11ow expel"•

iance and his. oa.relessnesa ns to oectn1ity ..

dua to boyhood e~perionoes - likely· cnusod s. · ·little d1s1ntegitation.

· in~s. o~arne~ depended upon her pnrenta for se• cur1 ty due lti-l."gely to her eP.rly mn1"1"1age nnd

the failtu'es .or those respective huebnndo to provide f oi1 hel11 •

2 • Pel?son.al ha bi ts tnat 1 .. opel

Mr• Crame1' ts indifference to the fnnlily nnd

its welfe.re.

Mrs. C:ritm.ei'ts fondness of' na.11rnt:t.ng her

phyaicnl ills. ·

M~. Cramer was hubitually irraapona1ble . From titie to tinle, Mrs. C:r-nmer would nng hel' husband

. 3. Mental SUbll.Ol'rAflli t.7 .

Mrs. Craroe~•s phlegmatic dispr)~it1on and d1f-

fioult~r ~ .. n eompttellension and learning 1nd1·

catas fael1lemindednesa. Ueri son is so diag-nosed.

4. Mental disorder

Mr-• Cramer• s indecision and 1ne1)1li ty to mal'e decisions~ hia lnck of l'aspons1b111ty, nnd his

55

ove1 .. devoloped wish to do nothing, _indicate a ·social d1s1nteg~nt1on. ·

o. Other raotoz-s of possible impol'tanee 1. !l's• oramer•s well developed technique f'ox> get•

ting rid a;t _he?t husbands, or whom.ah~ ts.res. Wbe~ they fail to coma up to the sta:rrlaro that ohe has set, she nags them and makes.lite so uncomfortable, they desel"t, and when they al"e gone, she obtains a divorce.

case Study 1/4. Clm:vles · 37 Oeo:tlin 35 Ethel 10 Gilbert 5 Peggy 8

IHTRODUCTI OEI

Tll'E S'MITH FAMILY ·

On septemlJer 121 19131 Mr. and M.vs. Smith be• ge.n a commonlaw :ralat1onsh1p. tt-tor four :vae.ra it seemad ·

to be serrJ.-suocessful. Fror11 th.(;)n on it was b11oken by.

desertions of' Hr• Snti th. . Until lt.Ugust of. 192<i, lle was 111 and out of the family. At tli1a tin1e, he left ±tol' a .. long time~ ancl v1as not l1enrd of u.11t1.l lJecembei-, when Mzts. Sm:t th received a typev;ri tten noi~e s1gnec.1 "D1clt", whom she ~upposed was a b1 .. oi;he:r of lwltt. Smitli. Thia notf:J pointacl out thnt lSr. Smith tms living in lttlr1$9.S City vd .. th M1ldl'ed 1

a consort, whom he had met fol.ll" years ngo., arid with whom he had been rnther closely associated d1Wing that 1nta~· val. She then wrote to Dick Smith, her husbandts bvother,

56

who :ia connected with the Alpha Auto School. vnule ho

had not written the first note; he ms.ringed to locate

M1 ... Smith, \;ho i"eally waa living \Vit.h L11ldl~ed1 nn opera-

tol" of a. soft drink pn.l:llo:r • l~fte1• eight months or col' ...

respondence, ~111 • Smith sc~nt money fo1~ he1" to come to

Xanaaa City• He located his co1.ru.nonle.w· wife nenl" the

soft drin..lt parlor, nncl fo1~ seve11al succeeding months

supported her.. Always iir. Smith cnma home to supper. He

would x•ead the pa pe1-a. Then he would play w:t th tho childl'on

in e. most affec~ttorJite mn1:u1e1', and e.rte:r tho suppor would

alt'1a~ta leave., but n.aver stnyod nll night. ?toighbors be-

lieved that he wa.s .a nc1->001~n. :tu the eurly winter~ whon

lle fs.i led to SU!JpOl"t. her, it became l'lOC~SStlry fo'.:- l\ll"S •

Sm1 th to appeal to the Family Wal.fare Society f 01• o.r.rn1s-

tance. When the p:i:-i11niples of tlie case wo1--k method.a

were explained to h~1·, aha .was most oom.munioative. Lntor,

when Ml"• Smith was consulted, he too wns ve17 oonw.nud.cative.

STUDY OF TID~ DACKGROIDID

Ml'• Smithfs rathe~ was n Clu:1stimi Church U:tn• •••11• I Jili

1ste1"', who raceivetl a very small yetu'ly salnry. Apparent-

17 his fnthex• mt1de no effort to guide tir·. Smith" despite

the fact thnt he .wtrn the favorite child. Ml"• Smith, sr., traces his· nncastey bnck ·to the royal houses of F~e.nce

and England, nnd he is.the oldest son or the oldest son

of the enti1-;e lineage. lib.•. Smith has three brothers and

· and th:ree sisters. Since the membe1"s of the ,family never

5'7

have kept 1~ conmnmication v1ith emeh other; .he ha.a lo~t·

t:vn olt . of all or them.

When a olt1ld h1s mof;he:r died. Th~ fa.the?' ~~·

married but not wisely. Since the11e. was not an abunda11ce , ; ' .

of funds, o.nrl the s1;ep•mothel" .. was .. unkind; Ii}.'• Smith .left : '

' . home when he was but fourteen, . During tll() _neltt .tou.;v.

· .. YOEll'S it he "butnmacl" ex•cenn!L\rely 1 _doing anythittg, fOl' fl 11V~

t l L

1ng. At this early age he ptitl'*onized p:rost1tutes. When

about aeventeon. he. surra11ed n "nex-voua ·bre~kdovm''• .. He snya he hns nttendecl ·small colleges 1nterm1ttentlt,. but

i,

:f.'ails to give .. the names of the inatitutiotis •. Me studied. medicine~ \1hJ.ch p:t'obnbly nmm.mted to assisting illI1epUted

physicians who cotwi t nbortion.s. In thia earl7 pel:*1od he

o.oquired the drug habit, a1xl for a nunibe:r of years, he

used two ounces or chloral n c1o.y; ho\vever, he &lleges he

is enti11ely f'roe or the h~tbit nO\'I* . .

Mnny of his difticmlties1 espeo:ta.lly fina.neia.1

ones, he attr1btttes to this ho.bit, because it has afreoteci his heal th - thougll not ll1s mo1~a1 Ol" h1a mentu.l l.1fe ..

Bece.uoe he comas from 0batte~0 stock, 14r •. · Smi.t~·::.::tet~ls that he is 3Upel1ior, and thnt he has an tulSUl1:paased mental C.bil•

follows 1 ty, but ha is llo.mpererl by his coramonlaw wife 1 v1ho f Q:n

him about keeping h1ri1 1$11om getting adequat~e~·':,niid i .. espeotable emplOYlllent.

. ... ,'•

One day · whe11 he v1as s. coal <lvi val"', he \vns ·

d~"l.kJ the mother of a prostitute .pulled him oft the wagon

6B

and made llim tna.ITY her daughte1~. Despite the fact. that

he knew that she hn~ nn illicit p1-aegriancy. ho lived with he~ several months... Aftal" tiring of this arrangement, ho

chsnged. his name and went to Iowa. He1•e he Dlet Mrs.

Srro .. th thro11gll. mutual friends, and n simple flll"tation

f o-Jltl\VOO •.

:&trs• Smith is an only child of uneclucnted, but ··proud parents, who maintain they trace theil" ! .. runily,

on one side to tlw Hoyal gr:.ux.:e keepe:r· i:n Germany, and on the other wide to the Royal f•andlies of' Scotland and

no time owned his place.. Thru the influence or i~01a-. tives 11 he moved about connideru.bly. These same relatives

nlwnys took nclvantage of him in bUfJ111ess dealings. The

family ?1aa living in I11inois., when Mrs. Smith was born,

but movect~ when slle was only tlwae years old to n south-

e1->n cotmty in Iowa •. Slle ni;tended school here, and when

only eighteen, she 1,.ecei ved a certificate to teach

school, which she continued to do until she was twenty-. .

two.. During all these years her p~~ents close protected · her. They failed to encom. .. age her in her independent

ventures; they did not enlighten he:r concerning the in-tricata htunan i~elationshipa and theil' conti"ol or human

life. She seldom was away fror11 home at night. When she

was nineteen,, u~. Smith came to a nos.1--by tOVTn and boarded with

59

a friend of lr!ra • Sini th ts~· They· met, nnd promptly 1 sfter a short fl1~tnt1on~ fell ·madly 1ri love. Mlle. Smithts

parents diSCOUl'Gged the S.ff&il" QM :refused to 1nVite .

Ml'. ·sml th to thei11 home • After a montht a acquaintance• .

ship, ~tl'. Smith left, and during the folloWing yea.r:t ha

v1rote often. Thei~ nrrect1ons gl."ew, and they began to

feel they could not live \'tlthout each otlle.r.. He EuJranged

i'o:ra her to come to Watel"lOo o.nd stay wtth :fza1ends of his. Here for seven.weeks, she taught music and. eavned eonsid• arable money. Du11ing tb1a per104,. they indulged :r-agul&?'ly.

in sexual intet-eourse. This was the longest pe:viod that ohe hnd 'been away from her po.1--ents. Afte:r: 'l:ndueement · by

tho parents, she went home, remaining again with he1' fam•

ily, until ahe ancl M1'. Smith ntt1 .. angetl the1:r elopement.

nor.n~ AUD rmIGIIBOHIIOOD COlIDITIONS

Both Mr. and 1h-a. Smith spent the eavly part

of the1I' lives in amnll eonnnunity grottpa·. Mtts •. Smith .con-.

t1nuod to expol"ienca th~.a type of aui--rou...'ld!ng t.lntil she

41enched womanhood. r~tr. Smith, on the other' hand, went to the city v1hen only a. boy.

Aa a family they have been transient, living

largely, v1hen in cities, in chenp roon'ling houses in the

poorest districta, such a.a the place in vthicb they novt

live. Theil'- rn0tie ot living does not tencl to stabil1ze

theix- home lire. 'E.Ven 1n small towns thoy made little eff'ort to ovm property of theil:' oz1n.. For a period ot

eo

· · yea.:r.~a, they v1ere aln1Qst suppo:1.;too by Mr. Smith•a rather.

Only dui .. ing ol1e.·atay in·a sn'ltlll town did- thoy ov1r1 acy fur-, . . ' '

· niture, and thia.they.lia.d.to .sell to pa.y othor debts.

~GHOOL AMI) WOHK ' \ .

Vie hu:ve'r.o definite ;scho•)l roco1-'d or 1IP• Srdth, ,·

except~ng 'that 11~· left ,ho~e en1~l.y nnd tho~arore could. net

11a.ve. eompletad· the Sl~nde sclt.oo1. He insists-'· t1'..at. he 1md ' ' - . ' .

a c<>llege edueatton bu·G will not g1ve tho no.me of the

institution •... II11'J ,I'el€tt:t.ves. ~ent:ton ~ha·t: he did at·te11d o.

coll~ge, .. but they do nol1 know:where··nor: for. how .l~ng·.

Also, he all0ges, that_ he:sportt·tim~ in n)edica.l··collegeaJ

howevei- ha ··retuses to. give· any names. "becnttse they are

not in goorl 'repute •

. At v,urious times, he has been on the verge or

.. Putting ove~. ·n .. 0pl.,or11o·t:to11" ·project, but nlways his 1.ntei"oat

vrnnes c.nd. thin ve1iture ftdls~ In h1f;l WOl"'k' £md 011. ;job~, ha

is· tl1ghty.. Ho· l1as v{orked at eve~'th:~tig.from. ·ch .. ivins n

ooal: wagon to ~asist1ngia .. ·ph.y~1c1nn·~ho c0mm1ts. nb~rt1ons.

On the. other .lui'nd, ·Mrs • $mi th at t~n<.1 e(l the '·• 1

eotinty ;school, and. t11en «~ti~tl.t· t.o :~ :n.ol'mal school ro11 a

little ·while·.' She :then tool~ n teacher.fs exmm~nat1o·n,. ob•

· tt\~ned .a, position and mad~>· a g9pd -rec?~d.- In ndclitioti

: she plays. :.the. ·p:tano .. 111e11· nna:· ~-1~0, has '.taught ,.music.. ner •• ' • ••• • •• ' f

hou.se'. is.' ~dell· ~ept most. of.: the · ti_me. ·The children are

dttes aed welJ1 ...

D1~!,IJJq,UEMOIES

th• •. SrrJ. th was committed v11th ~tadge tor i11netr days to Leec1a, the niun:toiple. farm, for renting roorua for ·

immo1 .. e.l purposes. After aixty .. ej .. ght days, the. time that

drug ad,Uots n.ra kept on nthe CUl"att,, he 11ia .. s paroled. on condi t1on tl1a t he ma1~ry his eommon•lttw · Wifa and take care .

or her. COMPANIO?m

The associates chosen by ,Mr, Sm:tthare l."eck• leaa, and th~~H) that he raully likes to be witll are .. tho 11 ren1--less". He divitieu all hunm.na into two groups, those·

t1ho are ar1 .. a1cl to "dax•e'' . and nb1de by ,the conventions nnd. ·

those who are 0tea1~1eso~' and <lo as they V4a11t to, living by

the natural ltw1~,. Ilia i~ationaliza.tlons, given latel,\, v1ill·

1nd1on.te the chnt-o.ct~er ot hie associates.

ldl:*a • $~th, Oll tlie Otha~ hnnd, haa n.saooiated vt1 th· onJ.y conventionally moral people• I11 tlle words of~

Ml:'. Smith, sho is a "ona-msn. woman". INTERESTS .. ~IID HABITS

Ml?. Smith is interested. in anything that is

unconventional• He 1a "loose" seic.ually • · Ho pl"efe1•s to live with his 0sou1 <,)Ompanion"t rnthe:t' thnn assume the responsibility or hio wife and children. A.l1mya, 110 evades

issueo. He uses drugs v;1 th regule.ri ty • He is intareuted.

in a "res.1° :Jt~cioty.. Despite ·the attempts to eVt'lcle his

responsibility .to his ohildre11, he enjoys being w1th tb.em,

and they in tuvn respond to him.

Ml'e+ Smith appreciates e.nd is interested 1n

her children. Mr. Smith asse~ta that he oo.nnot live with

het' because of her petty nagging. She has bean kno\m to

call the v1sitol' five 01" six times in 011e morning nbout

"nothing at all".. The p!t.role officer was simpl;r worried.

to, deatll .. by her frequent telephone oallih She rends good

· book~ on child care. Even t1fter all these yea1 .. s of neg-lect and ot inf:tdeitty, he1~ mn1n interest is _111 her hus-

. band. Regardless of what he may, do, she is alwnye glad

to have him come back and live w1 th 110r:lf"·

IUDIVIDUALIZATION M1-• Smith is a tall• slender 1nd1v1dual vdth

small b?'ight eyes. ~s face .ia well set off by n omnll,

light .:brown moustache. His light b1 .. own ha1r blends ·with

to~toiae shell :rimmed glasses. He does not keep ll1maeli'

vrell grooru~d, and his collar, coat, and trousers nlwaya

are soiled~ His hands .are rough, red, and du~ing a con-

_versation constantly are making aimless motions on a

papex-. !fb& eurtaca muscles of his face twitch and con•

tract spasmodically, ~vhan subjects ua:-a discussed thnt

eall out his emotions. However he neve~ sheds a tear.

The psychfa·ti.r1ate did not have an oppoI'tun1t7

to aee Mr. Smith but from d~scription they feel thnt. Mr •

. smith pztoba.bly is a pnretic, v1lth an overdeveloped 11b1do,

and generally is not gro\vn up in his social attitudes.

63

Ha ahould be placed in nn 1nst~tution ·before t11eso ten•

deno1es take a homicidal turn. Mrs.. Sm1 th is a nevvous1 tva1l-appenving

young woman, who usually dresse~ · attractivel7 in clean,

l:>ut threadbear calico aprons. Sbe is thin and tired look.,. . .

' ' (

ing, yet ona is always 1mpvessed witl1.the care that she gives her person:. Doth she· and the ohildre11 have ·-nega• tive Wasaerman•a .•

THE STOHY OF Tiill FAMILY

Follov11ns their intention or ente1"1ng a mari•

tal relationship, the couple eloped to small Neb~slta ' ~ . ·.

town, wlle1~e lil',• Smith•a ·.rathel' lived .• · V/hen Mrs .• Smith's

mother learned ot the illioi t nfta1r:• she gl"ievec1 so much 1 ' .

that in a few yen1~s she died.. Vlhen l~J:. .•. '·smith ·sr .•. , waa

told of their predicament l1e kept them wi tll him as brother

and sister, then he and l\~1".• srn1 tll $et about to locate the legal \Vife and obta1n a. divorce .•. The only 1nformat1on

., .

that could be obta.1ned was that she was a prostitute .•

Since she could not be located no divorce could take place .•

Then on septambel" ia, 1913;1 the7 began living together as me.n and· Vlifa.. Tlus dnte they give es the!~

mari"inse.. For the roilov1ing three years there were man~

changes or addresses. llr .• Smith always had jobs.. His

ability as e. salesman and business ovge.ni~er was about ~he

average, and fo~ moat of the time, they llG.d a good income~

partly of course, because he WOJ:Jked on n oommisa!on basis.

64

Fl"om time to time, he would 110.ve long illnesses, o.nd on

one occasion be waa diagnosed as hnving locomotor atnxia,

and at anotha:' time tuberculosis. Xn the lntteJ.'l case, . ..

he wns ordered to Oolo~ado• Thia happened in 1917, when

they were 11 ving in 1teb1-.aska,. where th.'• Sm1 th was an as-

sist~nt to a Doctor Less, a pl1J~~c.1nn and surgeon. It

was hel'e .fol' a wh~le that tho fan1ily llad its own .f\trn1 ture and was accepted ~nto the better aoc1al lite of the com-

mun1 ty. Dr-. Less gave h1m a ticket to Colo1--ado• with the

understandil'lg that he should. send Mrs. Smith a little later.

When the time cam,e ro~ her to go~ he refused to give he~

tFanspo:rtation. Now, Ml"S• Smith f'eels that the doctor wna ' ,. . '

trying. to bring about a sepa1~ation bees.use he lrner1 thnt

bir. Smith was a drug addict •. lier father gave ha~ aasis•

te.11.ee and slle joined AW. Smith in Colo1•ado n little lo.tor.

It we.a lw:re, wl~ila liv111g in 'Lodge, Oolorado6

that Ethel \Vas born. · lfever in tl1a mar! tnl lire, have con-

tl"acept1 ves been used. About two yea.rs lnter, Gilbert

was delivered by a oa.esnl.'ian ope1,ation. AnothoX' year

passed and a child r1as still born.

Between jobs, they would stay with Mr. Smith's father. L'Uring all these yea:rs Mr. Smith nave~ seemed to

raise enough money to obtain a d1vorca and make his ellil-

d1"'en legitimate. 111 1921, Mrs. Smith went to her- homa to

make a visit. ~· _smith than was traveling. She soon

learned that he had become entangled "With a giPl in Omaha.

65

This girl vras only nineteen .. , ~he:t'e wns an aboJ.?tion at the

sixth month of heJ:1.p~egnnnoy •.. M~s .. Smith a~ranged tor-.hex-. to come to th(~ir honw to convnlesCEh~, · At ~his time,, lll'W~;,. Smith declo.1--e<l his love .fot4 tlle g1x-~., Too legal separa~

t1on v1cuf al."l"'&tlged but lltr •. Smith did not. mQl"i"f tlle girl •. ·· ' ' " ~

A few months later, he traveled into Nol.4th Dakota,- wheJ:>e ~ . . ' ' ' .... .

he met Madge.. ShoJ?tly he i1etu~ned to 111.a ·,,,~1fe as strec•_.

t1onnte as eve1 .. , staying with the t!yerte ·'-'.. Jb~e.1 Smith•~ ... t I ' ' ~ . • ' . •

parents ~.and allowing them to to.lte care of. all .·the bills .•

In. 1922,, Mr •. and M11s •. Smitb tvent to lowa,. whore be got wo1~k with a· rno11tage · company•· In a· f e11 months Peggy vms bottn in n hospital.. r1rom time to time,_ bis health wns bnd. The following yee.l' the family moved

bock w1 th hei- family. OtheJ:t women seemed to dondnate his

interests. He w:r-ote !ilI~a. Smith that he. was down· and out a.nd in jail o.s the result of dope. 'l~s was only ·a ruse, for ha went to live with ?~dge, and was not haa1,.d of un• t11 the typew1,1tten note was sent. to M1•s• Smtth.

\71 th p1,aasw,a £1--om the . Ftun1ly Vfelfnra Society,

?.Ir. smith continued to auppoi't h1tJ wife and_ ch1ld.11en in

part. Re was co11stnntly p1,om1aing to mav1-.1 M1..,s~ ··smith• ' .

but tthen offered the money to get li~ense, he. v1ould al•.

ways refuse say111g that he v1anted to have the mone7 randy

to get a divorce, when he n'll~rvierl hett... Most of. the .. time, his reasoning on this nt\bjeot was most 1noo~~d,stent ... Late?',

he and Madge wel."e sentenced to Leeds •. Madge,· ·who is a

_ "bl~ary eyed crea.turo" ple':l_ded . lan:tenoy because she was

bndly.·nf~licted with venel1a~l d1s~~se •..

At t1:rst M1--. Smith re~ed to accept ~ pnt.tole on tbe eondi tion he \1ould have to, m~.1·ry. M1')s. Sm1 th, aup'."' .~ovting be~ and his ch1~diien. Then he len1--ned it would be impossible for: Madge to obtain a pa.role. Lat~l'• how-·ave11, he ao~epte(i the chance nt f1<jeed.om, and was duly ...

. msrried to Mrs.. Smith •... They. began li ~1ng tog9ther.1 nnd . "' .. for. about two v.;eek~.1 Mr .• Smith continued to work nnd· tak~

. ' cnra or his. wire and children. one day he cl1snppon:ttad .• . .. . ' . He always.contended that he wo~d.not l~ve with his w:tre

because he could not stand hev "eternal na.ggingn,• . l ' ' • ' • " • ~

. The Family Welfare Sooiety still oont1nuos to · .. care tor J~h"a .• Smith~ ~adge ho.a not been releasocl na yot

_from the f:,n.m1 ci pal Fa.:c-lll~

RA TIOlMtt7..JiTIOl{S OF- tm. SMITH

. Mrs. Smith vra.s cross and un1nteraa~ing du1"ing

· the second pregnancy;. A man cannot stanp. thn~,. regardless ·of the cause. He Vias driven fl'om home. H~ we.a a11 auto

.' ' ., j

sa lesnm.n and , could take women t oz- l"id(~~. It is humo.n ~ature to seek. pleaau1".e and demand compnnionalU.f?•

· lt we.~· ee.sy to get an abortion pe:rfotwmed t:o~ I '

the "little girl" in Denve~, baoause all Doctors hnvo a large practice· of this thing. The11e are .many homes in which the fathel" .. is ste~ile and sti~l there are children.

A lavge pox-tion ot. the population is illegitimate. As

G7

to the child by: this girl 111· Danva1~., had 1 t been bol'ln1

1t would huve been as his own. He, and its mothex- \VG~

equally responsible. Ire ca1mot see why he did anyth1ng

wrong. He may bo rega11ded aa o. mora.1 degenera:te, 1 but he

believes in the teachings of ·Dtt• Phillippa,, 'l~ho divides;

the l"nce into tv10 groups, those who da~~ n.nd those who

are nf'l'nid. or ·cou1 .. se, he lmO\vs .i1e 1s· unconventional, but it 1.s not in bo.Pmony irv-1 tll the la\1$ 'of biology foxa a

mnn to confine himself to one w01nan•· It 1s a waste of male energy-. Peggy was born after his escapade with the g1rl. He did not see his bu'by to11 months because he we.a than 11 ving with Madge. He iaot ~ftldge th~ough business

dealings and they decided to go into business togethel',

so thoy l'Ggistered at. a hotel as man and wire.. There ts no partioula.11 sexual a.ttraet10111 in faet, 1Ie.dge is not

puasionn te at all. LJa.dga conies f:t.tom a tine r~...mily • Sl1e

latO\'/;J all nbout his past lite Blld thoroughly appl"OVes Of'

his vmy of 11 ving.

These and similar rationalizations on all phaaos or life indicnte t;he philosopliy v1h1eh is back .of

the unoonventiotUll life th~a.t Mv. Smith leads.

SIGNilf\ICANT FACTOHS IM THE .PROBLEM SITUA.TIOM

A. Social Maladjustment l. Cr1s1a

Mrs. Smith booame cross end it'*ritable clw:tng

hei- pregnancy nncl the situation becsme so aoute

sa

tli.at Mr. Smith felt he could not tole~ate it ·~

longe1" • (This is e. typical exnmp~e of the so,-

called "pregnancy deaexata1'" • .ot whom J!,"Ubank

writes.)

a• Ocmtl1c ts ovav ~41:1. Smithta numettous "att'ai1"a" with other

women. Over the lock of support nnd the nee• ~ssity of living "tdth the n1n•lnws 11 • Over the

lacl~ of the Wl 1·~1aga ce11emony nnd Mr. Smith ts

Proorasti1i.ation in obtaining n divorce. from

his first wire. a. Absence of wholesome f'nmily .traditions nnd e.tt1•

tudes, due toJ ·Mr. Smithta early ideal or .rnra1ly life we1•0

given him by his fa.the~. Late11 the rathel'

tolei--ated his aonta being driven from home by

a step-.motha~, · Th1s expex•ienco rnuy hnve caused

a conflict 1n h1s mind• Early a ttendanoe to

Pl"Ost1tuten, which no doubt, gave him the ideal

of the co~~onness of sexual intercourse. Atti-tudes. of family life that came as the l'esult

of his assooitltion with the lowel' strata, so

tlmt in the event of ll1s mnrr1nge, he had no

wholesoLte attitude of family life thnt ~as in

hannocy with the larger society's attitude of' nu1x-r1age and fa.mi ly l1f e •

69

ldrs. Smitbta nnivetet, which hnd its eoul'ce

in tbe ovex-protect1on and tl1e lack ot proper. ideals in heri early home tvaintng. Mrs. Sm1thts ideal.of trusting l\nd ovel' trosting her .husband in thail"· i~elnt1onsh1p. ln her- eyes M~. Smith could do no wrong._ 'rh1s b.abit of thought -is tho 11esult ot· the perfect ha.1 .. moey that v1as es• tilblislled in llex- pa:rent•s home. ·.

4. Economic organi.zation M~. 8ntitll often tl'*a.velod1 and being on the 0 road0 tended to stimulate his already over-developed inata.b:l.lity.

B. Pe1•aonal unadjuatme11t and disorga.idiatian 1. Inna~ oonf'licta and lack of integration of atti•

tudoa ltr. Smith's divided life • as to sex and as to drug addiction. Drug addicts a.nd sex pe:r• varts aI-e commonly lmown to .lead double 11vea and l)lay two roles all tlw9i1gh their existence because they lm.ve so .fiJ:lmly established the

habits of concealing the1I' weakness tx-om the aooial world., that it bec.omea unnatw:-al fo,.-. them to 1.,e straigllt, and play only a single

role. Conf licta ove~ sex expel'iences, which be sought to justify by building a social value of s. polygomous society and then holding n

'70

· f.avo1'*able attitude toward 1t.

The fact that Madge was a ngood sport", nnd

v1ould work with him, helping him to· auppoxat h1!i1selt, not demand.ins as his wif'e clid, that he support her. They, in theil' little cafe, worked together. oontl1ct in the desire for new experience v1bich was exp:ttessed in the desire to be inti-mate with any woman that be chose, egainat the ideal of fidelity ·to one woman.

2. Personal h~bi ts in 'if rs. Sm1 th that l"Gpalled him. He~ continual nagging was a source of con-

stant 1r1-.1t.ation to him, 3. · ~tental diao1-.cter

There is a probnlJle paresis, h1s b1•ain tis• sues having been b1"oken down bJ syphilis.

He is supposed. t.o have auffe11ed at one time from looomoto~ ataxia. -

case stud;( #5• Elst.ein Aru.Ulbel

Rornulua 4 Daniel 2

IMTRODUCTION

THE GUARD Ii'J~MILY

Mr.· and Mrs. G~rd had been experiencing troub• le for about tY10 years. Mr. Guard, from time to time, had

7l

become interested in other women. · Last ~ea:r, und.er the

pretense of m<>ving to m1other a1tyt he had obtained bis

wifets perm1ss1on to sell sll t~e ft.u:t111.tttl."~th Pl'.'av10'WJ to

this move, he hnd bf.Jen urging aepax-e.t.1on~ ·'With the sale

ot tlle f'urn1ture e.nd the money in his ·banda,·ur. Guard - • I

disnppea.red the following mo1"ning. ltrs • Guard alwn;rs had

been opposed to aey seve11ance or the mai~ital ties•

STUI'JY OF THE BACKGROUND ·

t'ir. Guard I a :ratl1er 11.• dead.• Ilis mothel1 married ~ .

o.nother man, who is n t1~a.veling salesmtin• . After the. de• -' '' ~

pnrture of Mr. Guard, his mother. ca.me to .live with bis de.•

serted wire, attempting to help he?' adjust heraelt t~. tl1e

cho.nge. llis mothe1~ could not do ·mu oh for M1"*s. G'Ufl.rd tol"

al1e had just had a "ne1~voua breakdown",. ·a1s only sister

lives in Canada, having pwchased with her husband_. some ..

f"n:rm property J however they we1--e tUl.Qble to ~'Ake the .ve11-

tura succeed e.nd wtn•e forced to lose their equity.

In 191 '7, M1.,. Guaro ente1"ed tbe services of

his country for the world war. The following year he waa

discharged. ·Of his beck history little is known, except

thnt all his wo1--k :reco1 .. d and his oontn;cts··. with his social

groups have been successful.

M:tts • Guard was bo1•n and 1~eared in La.ncing

City, Indiana. She is of Polish desce11t. Uev pa.rents

wero brutal o.nd cruel to all the tru111ly of fou1')teen ehil•'··

dren. Yrs. Guard thinks they Wel?e especially out of srm-

'12

patt~· td.th hel."1 since she was· one of the younger ones.

A.slight eurvature of the spine 1s attributed to a blow that; her father stl:'uok ller when he was in a, fit of anger.

Nevel:' have the parents al1own interost in. her well being.

Attal" the Cl"isia cnme, in vrhich her family ~vas ~oparated,

they l'*efused to lend any assistan<'e ei t~er f':tnnno1nlly or

morally•

P>Jevious to har me.11.rie.ge, Mrs. Guard had con-

siderable expettience in el.e11icnl wo11k• . both in Kansns City

. and Chicago~ Mx-s. Ouaro was with nn edtt<?ntiono.l company

to~ about . one yea:r •· Since she was too trail to do house

or· factory v1ork, &ha was f'ol"ced to do office work.

IIOi~E AMD 'NEIGHBORliOOD CONDITIO?iS

The family fi~at lived in a reaidenttnl dis-

trict that is not of high class. It 1s compoaed ln~gely

of 1nduat:r1a.1 wo:vlters, 'tr7ho live up their small incomos •

'l'he p~ost1tut1on in this dist~1ct is quite notorious.

~eir neap neighbors are rolk ~tho break the law. They

lived latev in a cheap i'tooming house district, whex-e the

vices . of the oi ty abound. At . no time since thei:r stay in

-Kansas City hnve they lived in pox-tions of the c1 ty which

a.re conducive to stability of home life or of emotional sta~ility. Nea~ this present address bootle~ging hli been ca?lried on extensiveli• Mone of the ~oni1ng houses has

aey' ·~egistration; thus. making it possible :ro:r any couple

to go th<n•e a.ncl live i1•1'espective or thei?t legal status,

'13

witll ·no queation3 sslced.

SCHOOL Am} WOnK

we know nothing or the school reeoro or lht•

Guard. or hia work with the rn1lrond oompa1l3', aa n.

special ofi'1oe1~, we have ~ecornmands.tions tllat itidicate ..

he is or high a tanding . in th~ · company. · The superintenclent

ot the plant says ·of Mr. Gual"d, 0Mr.: Guard· was the 1Hlst

minn that I eve~ lia.d wo11k11ig for _me. Be. lVas not afraid ot ' .

worlt and al t11ougb he. was a special ·officel.", be 11ould help·

out nt manuel labor, if neeesse.ry.n When he left thG Ol,.•

gn1'l1r:a.tion because the supex•in.tandent gave him the oppor-

tunity ~r either leaving 01' stop·keep:tr,ig_the c~mpan7 or Elln Jones, a girl employee, he gave him·tho best or rec-ommencls.t1on of his vmrk.

or MI1s * Gunrd we only lmow thtit she atte11.d.ed

. » tha first fe\v grntles of the S·?hool, having to leav$l ea.rl7.

intending to help her parenta by woi.-.k1ng. WOl1k l'eforenceif

we1--e not conaulted; hm11evel' her house was always in a

dirty condition. Vilhen she late:tt took up a six weeks oourae

in besuty. pa.~lOl' opex-at1on, she became very apt Qt the

trade, and soon wns o.ble to make a. good· income_.

DELillQUEHCIES

The:re tal"e none known, excepting Mt"• Guavclts

abandoning the children, which has not _been prosecuted.. ·

COMPANIONS

Little is known of this phase or their lite,

74

75

-

eJtce;,?ting the.t he was fond or v1omen othe~ than his wife.

I11 defel'l.rle or ·this, he always· suggested that she did not

present to him an ideal companion, and that it wu.s necessary

for him to seek oth.e~ inte1~sts·.

IMTEPJES TS AND JIJ\BITS

l-Jr. Gunrd was definitely inte:rested in his wottk and was steady 1.n· l'da work httbi ta. He did not care

fl g:vea t deal n'bOUt 11.is home; hov1ever he Wf!.S p110Ud Of his

t\10 boy a. P1 .. ett1ous reconoil:J.a ·bions hnd. been brought nbout

through the boys• Otten 1n the past two yon1 ... s, he was

out very late at night. Acco1~c1ing to his fo11ruer employ• ors, ·I~ii. Guard is a nmn ot higl.1 honor, and they feel thnt

if he lmeY~r that llis wife axtd eh1lc1ron were 1n need that

··he would p~oi.ride for· thot~1. In tho past ·tt10 yen!'s1 ha lms

; .. ntexaasted. 11 first, 'in an operative or a beauty pnrloi-, who

nrte11 their affaiJ? ·marai~1ec1' nn :tnd1an.. Lntar, n11d nt tha " ' .

. present .. t~me, he is intereated in a girl empl.oyoe nt the

office \Yhere he !"01~me:rly wo1~ked. : She is attempting to locate him.

Mrs. Gue.rd 1s. interestec1 in he:tt· children, but

does not give them good ca.re. lle.r house 1't. not in a oloan

0011.di ti on. She. ia aonce1~necl about her pbyaicfll weUe.re

and is anxious to work nnd oare .tor the children. She

w~nt vendily t.o the ~li111c. That she 1a 1nteres1;ed in

lteeping her husband is exh1b1tec1. in the fact that she at-

tempted to prevent a bz-eech. Whethel' the methods she em•

ploy\:?d, st1ch e.s nagging anc1 f'ua.a:1ng, witll him1 helped her ·· gain her enr.1o 1~1 a matter or dispute~ She ·talked \11th·

his employo1"' a numbe,_,. of tim.os about the <litf1etllt1ea

"'t:hoy ha.a.

IHDIVIDUALI ~.~Jl .. TI OR

Mr, Gun11d, Ylh11e he v101-.ka well, is known

not to stay o.ny length of• time 1n one p+ace. He is on

the move all the time. As soon as the War \ve..·s ove~ :and

he was diochr:irged from the ai~my 1 he enlisted in tl1e English

nnvy for two yafi~s, despite the fact he was ma:t."riecl. Xn o.ppes:ro.noe, he ia attxaa.ct1¥<), <1~essing with taste, and

cnreying himself in t\ deca11t and resp~'ctable nmnnen.,,

~trs. Gua1~d is rn. the?'· tmkempt in a ppee.rance ~

She takes vor;y 11ttle pa.in.a to be mJa.t. She always haa

been jealous of Ii!r. o-uax~d • In the family qutt:t ... :t'els; ohe

hua been the ags1'asao1', probo.'bl~; because'· when t!ll'•, Guard ·

hnd been out lnte the night before with some other w01non,.

he hnd little to say v.bout the rtl~tto~. Sh& corwtantly

"nnggcd0 him and worried li..im about the neglect of h1·a

hmne. She has a •1iolent ·temper an.cl ia easily excited.

At nll times, she would call hie employe1~ and tell all

oorts of wild tnleo .about hel1 husbar.d• T·o the folk of

the ne1ghborllood, she would l'Olate sird .. la.1• incidentEh

THE STORY OF 'l'I!E FAMILY

Ai'tei- MI'. Gti.ardts dismissal from the A~'flr/ in ·

1918, they wei•e married. For the; following t\10 years,. he

'16

was' in Joliet, Illinois. , Tl1ey lived togatha:r fox- the

first year arte;r- the~ were ri1ttr1-.1ea., nnd ·then he enlisted

in the B~1tish Na--r;, being assigned to a large doatroyor.

In 1919, he received his d130hltl'ge. on his i--afa1rn he could

not find work 111 Joliet, n11d nccordingly, went to Chicngo.

ITtll"ing this pe1 .. 100, lt!1--a. Guard wo11lced c.nd suppo1'ted herself•

Some time afto1? going to Chicago, ha ot1ta1nad

wo1._k in a stee~ plant the11e, aftel."' which she joinec1 him.

They ' li \red in Chicago until ~922, during wh1 ch time he

wo:-eked a.t w~riousjobs, unM.l they ,moved to Kansas City.

Ue wont. to ,wo1~k · 1n. r~nsas City ,.,1th· the ra11rond eompnny,

with Tlhioh he'hB.d,been assoc111taa tmti.l shortly before

·the desertion.

Up to this time all hH.d been goir-..g ronaom;ble

well. Then f.oll.owad his two romances, one w1 th tho womnn

· barber,. and the other with the girl at the ofi'i ce. In

the punt two,yenrs he has not brought homa enough mon07

to provide for the cllildrel'l ancl h.-ts wife. At this time

Mr. Gun1~ owned a Ford Coupet. To lceep this car going,

which ha used in h1s 1111o1t affairs, and to keep up his

othe~ womenp all his surplua cash wna requ1~ed. . . .

When Mrs. Guard demanded to sea his consol"t,

he b~ought her to theiJ? home a.bout midnight. When Mra.

Guo.rd sa\v them sitting in the Coupet at the rxaont or the

house, she became frantic end hyatel'1cal. She rushed

out,.e.nd after Ur. Guard succeeded in separating the two

77

.women, he t1I•ovo et~ay \1i;th the consort.·· For the next few

days, he lived with ller in a l'ented apartment-.· ; ' '

. . .

T!!fl1£' 1~a1'1.ta.1 l1te · w·ent from bad 'to \vorse~ · ·'

Thoy aolcl: the ·r,i1"ni ture a.nd ~1 ... GU£'l"d aisappeal'1ed:~ . some

tirne ·arter he left, :she l'eceived .a··1a·ttex- t;oin him, 1n ·-

which he stntec.l that it would be. 1mposa:i'.ble f'or him eve~

to live again with ller.

lrtrs • Gua1-tl, after h~ving. some minor v1ork done nt the hospital, went into a bet1uty shop fo1-. a period Of"

six woeks, dur1n.g which ·~ime the Family Wel.fa:ve SocietY

took en.re of her expense~, and kept he:t• niothe1•-iI1•law to:

loolt nfte1, the child:;:-en, temporarily. At the end of the

six waoks, MMl. Gm11"d waa. not able· to obtain beau.'hy shop

wo1'k, lntt wa'i tulrnn on by n depa1--t111en·t store. No legal

ZIGlllFICAUT I11ACTO!lS IM 'l'Hm PROBTl~M SITUATIOU

A. Social mnladjustment

l. Crisis

Mr. ouurd •G. ap1,o.rent love tor his conaol."t,

and desire to get away !"rom tho temper and the

·naggi!l8 of bis wifeJ precipitated the 1mmedi• a.te ·b1 .. oa.ch.

2. Confllcta over Mrs. Guard ts methods ·or attenl!>ting to hold hel" husbc-tnd v1hen she fo1--esa'v tha.t $he was ·

losing him. She nagged him, disputecl hia l"ight

to do this or th.at, and consulted his employel's

constantly• These elements wo11e qui ta contraacy

to any ideas· th~t·t we,_..e f nvor•able to him.

over other women. Over non-support .due to his spending sll his

money on his Ford Coupe• und other women.

3• Absence of wholesome traditions of home 11fe

We ~twt little or his early home conditions,

nlt~1ough his mother. ~ndicated. that he had re•

ceived wholesome home t:raitrl.ng because of her

willingness to hol.p his wife,.when he had de-

serted; however, we do.hnve hia nrmy expa~1-ences which may have o.eveloped n cei--ta1n cnre-

lesanesa nnd caref~eaness due to the atimulntion

that such a lite .would give to the desire for

new experience.

4. Industrial disorganization

Mr, Guard had been forced at timea to lenve

his family in ordel" to seek employment in

other cities. These enfottced absences likely

were laying a foundation :f'o:r his discontent•

ment. It is not wholly impl"obable that ho had

the compnnionalrl.p of othel' women dUl'ing these

times.

B. Personal unadjustment and disorganization

l. Inner Contlicts

His deaii"e ro1.. new experiences · evidently was

very strong, b<:wause it ls exp~essed in his

clu1nging Jobs •. 1n bis going into the navu·, and

seeki1'lg other womenJ of cours~, the:tae must

have baen·some des1re·rov secuv1ty1 ol' be wo~d

not .mave married,. ro~ this .. v.:as noi; a toroed

marriage. 2. Personal llabitu that repel

Mrs. Gmu~ had a veey bad temper

She wus di:Pi#y ancl ttnt1.dy :tn her home habits

3 •. Traits indionting mental d1sorge.n1zat1on

Mrs. Gu.a1"d ta tempn:r- 1n almost severe enough to

ba olaasified ns a mento.l cliaorder, ro:r she

indicates, in these spells, a ce1,tain loss

of" control. Ml"• Guard ts egotistical azl.d so self oen.terad

that thex~e pan be little dot1bt tlmt it :to not

average•

c. Other tncto1's of possible 1mpol'tanne

1. 'l'he rooming house districts v1he,1~e they have al-

wnya · 11ved are not at nll conducive to stable

family life.

II• FAMILIES tllIBRE IN THE IlIDIVIDUALI $ MALADJUST~J.EMT IS.

HOTIOE.ABLY THE MAJon PHOBJ:AE?;i •.

Co.se study #6. THE KRESS FAMII;I

so

Leo - 21 . Lois · 19

Leo 3 . Maey Lois a months ... -· ·

IliTRODUCTIOM .

Mrs. · Ifi•ass had been . J.1efer1"ed to th~ :B'nmily

Welfsve Society by the J\lvenile Court. ·Mr. K:~~ess was em-

ployed by an eleot1"1.onl shop earning $150 .. 00 n month. He

was ol'dered by the court to pay half or his salary to Mrs.

Kress,, \Vl11ch he. did f'.or- sonie time• IIov1evo:tt, he soon left

tl1e1l' employment and ·the situntion becmne a x•el1ef' prob-

lem, as .. well as a court matter. In pl'esentirig l1e1" case

to the Ps.mily Welra~e Society, Nrs. Kress had certain

wel1 defined objects, and wns set on accomplisiung them

regardless of any mol'al, scruple, 01• principle, which

she might race.

STUDY OF Tlffi BACKGRO'ffilD

Mr. Kress was bo1"4!1 and rea~ed in Kansas City.

Ria mother is a neat clean ind1v1du.nl, who 1a quite well

defined in har views, and always has methods to follow

when she unde1~tal·tas a p1•oject. Mr. Kress, as n child, hnd

normal reactions, excepting he was niol'e fond of his

school v1ork than al."e most youngsters. His re.the:r died

when hewas_young and his step-~athel" was somewhat ol'Uel

to.him. ~houp;h they lived in a thickly populated district,

l~r. iu-e~s was associated with a clean group of boys, who

had plenty of normal :re()11eat1on. After his gl:'aduation

81

from tho Yark Twa1n school, he went to wo~k nt vo.r1ous

short•time ·jobs with electrical conc~rns '· He was so en•

gaged v1hen he was mai--r1ecl.

Mrs. Kress was o. youngeit.child of a la1'ge tam•. 1ly. In her oh1ldhoo~, she was S!JOile~ _and always was

nllowed to have her own we.7. As a child sbe was largel:r .

interested in running around. Sha loved to rule and.boss

the otber children •. Vlhen she was but fifteen and wanted ''· ' . '

to get mal:'r1~d, nothing would atop h~~r, for she always ·

had hnd he1" v1ay •

HOME AUD NEIGIIBOHHOOD COMDlTIOUS

The Kresa family always llas lived 1~ cheaply

:rurniahecl tenement houses i in districts whe1--a tl1e1;e is

much confusion nnd tho population is dense, several times

they have been fOlleed, by economic p1--easui .. e, to share

their flnt with nnothe1 .. family in order to reduce the

rent. While tllei~ apartment ie fairly neat, it is not

well flll'niahed and is not so arranged na to give ha1~0•.

nious feeling, such as ia I1ecea~ary to good home life.

SCHOOL.AMO WOHK

1irr. Kresa has a .good school l.'>ecorcl, consist•

ing mostly of A• s, itnd a. t e.11 times ~n a chool,. he shov1ed

a keen interest. While in the µavy, he studied. Since coming home, he ~~~lled in night school_. ancl is study-ing radio and el~otricity. When ~e woi')ke.d at electrical

shops, he mada $150.00 ft month. His :vecol.'d: foll wo1~1nnan-

ship is excellent, indicating 1mlustey and achievement. Mrs. Kress, on the othe1' ha.rid, never excelled

1n school wo:t .. 1(1 pvererl"ilig to play othe1" than study. She never has had jobs 1 and s1rice their mnrringe, hGl" home has' been fntt from being well kept.

DELIMQUENCIES llon-support

Mr. K:-ress via.a ordered by the court to pny halt · his salary, that .1·s.,$7fh00 per month through the cowt to

his w~fe and family•

COMPANIONS

Mx•. Kress spends much of his time, wo1'king o.nd studying so that in 11ecent years, he has bad little or no companionship.

Mrs. Krass is a eonstnnt asaoc1ate or many ~~ied ~roman in the district, who nre known to the Family

Welts.re Society as lazy, dil'ty, and 1n aome cases, j,mmor .. · al. ·Mncy timea. when Mra. !treas would come to the office, she would bring these women with her. They would mnlte many suggestions, con·t1-1ary to the v1si tort a advice nnd ltra • ID.-aeas always would readily accept their plans, nnd.

then proceed to ~evile the society for trying to dictate to 11er.

INTERESTS AND HABITS

Mr.!tress is la:rgely interested in electricity, to the degree, that despite his marriage, he \'lOUld attend

'.

night school in oroel' to· fo~ge allead •

!.33

Although at times he ·1s 01•uel a11d tr·eats li!:t.'S•

Kress in an overbeari_ng. nmnne1', he ·1a torid. or the children.

Even ·since hio desertion, he has exp:r~ased, tlu.tough lds

mother, a willingnesa to cont1 .. ibute to thei1, Stlpport, if

tbey are tnlten nvm.y 1~rom ll.is vd..fa • So fa1'* as lrt!is • Kress ·

is concerned, he does· not hold he1., in high EHJ-:~eel:~• Even

since their mu1'1?ifige 1 Mr. K.l.,ess htls ai;temptetl to get be~ ·

to attend night school, but without success, fol' he1,.

moodiness and ge11ora·l obstinacy ap1H~o.r to mnke her do

.1ust whn t he dot•a not wn.nt her to clo •

Ml'.'S • Kraa at i11te1.,cst nppaa:r•s la:"'gely in gain•

1ng her own ends at nn~-' price~ To hnvE' o. good tir17G in an end in 1 t seJlf to he:r;.. Towo.11d he~ chilch:,en and be:r pe1')sonal

g:raoups, she dons not hnve constructive attitudea, pl~ete:r-•

l:'ing to lat them di--if't along, ·rather th.9.n to heli;>' them.

When she ia helped to any deg1•ae 1 sha d.oea not l'eapoud

with npprec1ation~ apparently ta.ld.ng i·t ror g1'1anted that ·

i·t is due he1" • and that aha should have no obl1ge.tlons in

the mnttal"•

INDIVIDUAI,l?~TIOM

Ml'• KI•ess 1s ale11t, e.etive, i\nd a. l·uard wo~ker.

Like his mother he tldnka clea.:rly~ and at all times appn~

ently kno\'rs where he is going. He hns not a lwnya been nervous~ nl thouga the strain, the 1~~!'1.te.tions, and the constant qt\Ell"~lin!J ot home have m~de b.1~ some,1lwt 1rr1•

tabla. At school, while he lllld some tendencies to be a

S4.

little harsh with yowige1~ associates he was looked upon ,

generally as good natu1-.ed.

·Mrs~ Kl~ess ia petulant looJdng, nml hoi" uppenr-

ance ·suggest very l~t:ttle cluu-.acter development• To get

what she wants is her che1Ylahed aim. Ideals and nmb~tions

ave lacking entirely• .· During her first pregnancy, ·col:'tnin

.friends did muoh for.her, making the baby clothes, p,.,o.

viding he1" wi. th f~ ts,· et \cetera• but she navel" hna indi•

ca.tad gx-atitudt.3 and now ia most unkind nnd critical toward

those .folk. THE STORY OF Tm~ 111/.JIIr¥

lrir. e.1ld Ml"s. l~eos were ni.t~ln•iecl only tlvo f/eel-cs,

v1ho11 M:tt. tu .. ess enlisted in the nnvy. He felt that he could

get ahead vii th. i;l1e study v~nd the lmowlodge to be go.inod in

·the navy. ltI•s • Itress waa preg11a.nt a.nd. it apponrs thn-t

the ma1~~inga was fOl'Oed. Wa have no adm1ss1011 of thia

point, although the date of tha rim1,1~1age nnd the ngo or the oldest ah1.ld era only s1x months a pa!'t. Vlhilo ho vino

iu the 11ar1, he suppovted llis wife with the major po:ttt1on

of his· wage•· He was in the navy only two yea.rs.

Since their.m.e.r~iuge about tou~ years ago,

they have. livaCl. ·together only n bai~e two yea.I's• Mr .. Kl1ess

was not favo~able to lu1ving children, and his mother is

inclined. to bl.ante his wife fo~ the pregnancies. It is

true though, that nt their age, his income ~ns not suffi•

oient to maintain a ln:ttge. ~amily.

$5

/\fter his retwm from the l1avy, tl1e:r l1'9'&d to•

gethel". . He wao employ~d at an .electrical shop. · Sho11tly ,

after the 1--eunion, ·Mrs. Kl"asa again became .. p1•eguant. · She

was irritable• M1~. Kl'eas attended· night school. tfihen

he wanted to WOl'.'k and t3tudy, she al\1ays · tJanted to do

something· else and. oona.tant lvrG.ngling prevailed. · ;

Mr. Kress• 11ext n1ove was to tnk-e 1epa1 ... ate

rooms in·the neighborhood, but she so·snnoyed him, that

he moved v1here she could not locate hira1 but continued

to work t;\t the oame shop. She tlie11 proceeded to call him

at tho shop• Zho b othe1~ed. his hos s, and at all hc.nu•s of

w~nt to court. Ho pnid to the court vrhat ~:t; required,.

Stlll she continued to cell him at lu . .s ?101,k tlnd to bt;fhher

his employero. Fir...ally he became so eXlUJpe:t)at\:ld that he

times, he has sent her money 1ii11.,ough his · 1~\l'Y6l'9 •

.At one t it1e, he a t1~1,ted di voi'ee })l'looecd11'1gs •

but wi thdrow, because he i"eal•ed thn t· he would not gat the

cus·tody of tho child1'en. Now he l .. a · r-efusing to support

the children tUltil i;hey r:re put· \U'l.det~. diffe1'tent ct:n°e.

Mra. JU-oas :u1d her mother will not nlJ.ow hia moth.el'*,.. whom

they claim hna illicit sex rel~~t:it.>11$: and :engo.ges ·illicit

bmdnena (howeve1'* the1~ is no ev1cla!tcfJa or this) to ta.ke

87

Since .the das~rtion;11 the Family Wolf'nre Soai•

ety, has provided a little asaistnnce. until she could get

some work,, but l,e_cp1u3a:'She ha.s been so uncoope.rntiw and

so hard .to de~l •tYii;h i't.U'thel' work w1 th har has been d.is-

continued,

SIGNlli'ICAUT FACTOHS IU Tl!B PHOBLBU . SITUt .. TIOM

A •. Social. me.l~djustn1ent

1. 01"1Si$

Continunl discord, court a\mrda, and. i11sistant

nagging· causett Mr. l\resa to isolate hiniself.

fxtom ths. situ.a·tion, Then, too, Mrs. lu"oss con-

tinually frequented his bus.iness place, nnnoy-

ing his ex11ployers.

a. con..flicta

/

0"1t:)r the sp12;n<ling Of leisV-'t"e time, fo:r }Jr.

l~*ess wan P ••. mbi t1otis to at tniu voca tionnl nd.-

vs~ncemant, o.nd :1.t '-'11irn Mrs •. ~e~s t wish merely

to he.ire a goorl timo •

OVtll." Mrs• Kress t . a.~rnoc:tD.tes, who stimuln ted

her rebellion

Over M~s. K:resst unwillingness to attend

night school.

OVe:r.' the disag1~eement of the 0 1n-lmvs"

Ova~ the numbev of pregnancies, duo to the1~

youthfulr1esa and the inability of Mr. Kress

to earn nutfieient to take cara ot the ever-

g:rowiu.g f wuily •

3. l~bsences oi"' wholesome family txi>£ldit1ons and e.tt.1•

tudss:

M:t'S • Kreaa was allov1ed to role e.nd. boss the

fanrl.J.y, which i--eaulted in the disorgan1znt1on

of her te.mily li~re. Thtts in nmriiis.ge• she ex•

pected eve1-ything t'o center about· he:r, Ml-..

Kl .. ess, himself, ·crone 1'1.,001 a broken horue •·

4.. l~~conomio Organiza.tion ' '

M11 • I\r-as s' dermrtu?'e f'o:ti ·the navy shol'tly after.

tho11-. mar1'liage was ':~·tinnll!itetl by the fn.ot that he could not"ge1; s'Uf'f1c~1ent vocationc,.1 · i.a")~in•'

lng 111 this cj.ty, ·

n. POl"Stm.D.l 'tUl.UtljU~rtment (llld diSOl"'gan1znt1on

1- In:n(n" conflicts

(in ndvancoment) -w.::..:1 1ri cc.mt1lict.Y'1lth the ele.;.

rnonts oi, occuri ty th:d; he shoul.d httvc found

in his homo.

b. tlr'-1. Ki--ess. She htas ll keen des~.i .. e ro111 reeog..-

niticm, which 1,tr~ ltl,eaa ffl.iled to g~.vejl She

secured this thi•ough he1-. g.ssocie.tes who woul.d

ayinpn th.1 ~e with her• She had a c1 e~d .. re a J..so

f'o:a good t:lmes (~~enlly new e;·:perianoo) nml ·

followed i {:_, :'P.ther t~11.ftn ~eeldJ1;~ to ltelp ?1!l'•

09

2. Personal habits tl10.t repel

?ttrs. Kress des1Xtet1 to rule and boss. She liked

to nag. She was careless and untidy in dress

and about the house. ·She laclced. appl"oo1ution

oi' he11 husband• s e.f fol'ta to i'orge ahead.

· 5. ?ttental disorder

Tbere a1'*e no lmllucinationa d1agnosedJ however

ltb."s .. l'traast egotism and sel.fiahness verge on insanity, because of their over~central1zation

9n self. o, Other factors of poss1ble.1mpovtauce.

1. Youthf'ulness of both

a, Appal"ently forced mtl1'111age

3. Orderly conduct that Mr. Y~ss experienced in

tlle navy, oonf'l1ct1ng with opposite home·oon~ ditions.

Oe.se Study /}7. Tlm SVIISS FAMILY

Ohn:rles 39 Esther 34

Frs.nois 16 Evex-ett 14

IN~eRODUGTlOM

?4rs • Swiss had bean deserted three yoal's pre-

viously. Since that time she had been V101--king, and with

the children•s help had nan.aged to support thail' family

more oi- less adec1uately. Hovtever, ill health had cnuaed

89

Mrs. Swi·ss ·to stop wox-ldng f 01 .. a abort pe:r-1od • Aft.el'

treatment at a local cl1n1c, she again applied at a gar• men~ rnotory fol' work. · She vms rejected b~oauae or poor

health, Theil' examining pbysic1an also noted a venereal· \

infection. This company, wllich mnints.ins excel.lent so•

cinl workers, insisted upon Mrs. Swiss commwdcating with

the Family Welfare Society.

STUDY OF TUE BAOKGROUND Mr. swiss came t1~om good l'espectable stock,

although llis people ·were not of means. '?he fa.the:tf \'IB.B an

invalid, and M:r. Swiss and h1s brothers. 'more or less bnd

thaiI' oWn way •. As the ·youngsters ahitted to111 themselves,

. they 01 .. oa.tecl fw them~1el ves a very poor envizaomuent ., How•

ever their bell.aviol" was not as bad as that of the l'Uf•fian

of the city streets, although tlle:f were m1sob1evous, G.lld

did many things tha.t we1"e not approved by the olde~ ·folk. ·

In early boyhood, Mr. s·.,,1sa possessed odd1t1es. l:I1s own

father doubted bis mental normalcy. As a boy, bo prnc•

ticed mastm-bntion, along with othel"s of his gnng. After

a scanty schooling, he t1orlced a.bout the town, doing one

thing and then another. He did· not, as v1na the custom of

many of the ot~r boys, learn a trade.. .

. Mrs. Swiss• parents separated when. she was

only a small ohild. Her fathe~ gave suppo:t-t to a small

degree, causing hel.'I mothex- to wo1,k desperately hard to support haitself and two children-. Mrs. Swiss• fathal' drank

excessively and· abused bis family ter:raib];y • when they

were living togethe~. Mrs.. Bilk, her mothel', earned

thei~ living by washing and d~ing gene~al 11ouaehold clean•

1ng. Y·~hen the family moved to Itnnana City, hel" father

follfYsed.,, ·.At present he. hauls ashes and coal. He never

hns contributed to the suppo:rt or the family since their

~emoval to Kansas Oit7.

IlOME AMD UEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIOl~S

\lhile tbe ftU'niahinge of the tenement are

crude, neatness and ·cleanliness n~e 1~ evidence. Mrs.

Swiss and the t\yo children manage to Ct'eate a comi'ortable ' .,,

a. tmoaphe:re de~p1 te the physical sur1,ound1ngs • The Swiss t

always have lived in f'lum1ahed t'Ooms nnd cheap tenef!lent

houses in an industrial district tlmt is not conducive

to cleru1liness.

COMPANIONS

Mr. Swiss p:refel'red to be a.lone than w1th

otheNl• So tar na we know, ?4rs. S~1iss hacl no regular

and active lodge connections, altho she was alr1ays f'riend-ly with those living in the same vicinity. Il~TERESTS AND lttiBITS

lJir • Swiss ~o.a fond. of rea~ing cheap novels 1

iroo.g1n.1ng ~t he was ~he he~o. He. did not like to work. Previous to and ·after tnaITinge, he practiced masturbation.

Mrs. Sldsa• main 1ntettests now are in the chil-

dren. She is quite reserved, and so ·timid that one scnrce-

91

ly would lmo\v that she had any. inte11ests,.

wen K AND SCHOOL

Utt. nnd t111~s. Swiss. ha:ve only common•ecbocl educations •. It 1s .. interesting hero to note that both ot the oh1l<:lren nl"e in high school, and at. the iu~1ne time .~~e worldng. Thay both nre interested, and plan to attend· collage• if possible.

DELINQUEUCIES

Mr •. Sw:lss was finecl f'ox- the practice or eelt nbuae. The complai11t was me.de by the neighbor1•, ·and he

. l '

wns ru•reated on the charge or dlst'.Ul··ibing the peace. · This

took plnoe nbout six months befova tha desertion. INDIVIDUALIZATION

M~. swiss always has read extensively, ea• pecially :cheap, t1'tuaey love stoi"1es.. He appatu-.ed to live in nn 1mng1na:ry wo~ld created by the atmosphere or this fiction. Afte~ complet~ng n detective ato:tty1 ha wo.s wont to relate the story to his wife, with himself as . . the llero, and undei- the apell he would entertain the family. Sometimes, these trances or spells would ,last··

ror days at a time. or course. then he could not work. sometimes, he ':'ould be abusive to the wife and children. Mr. sw1se did not appear to ltr~. S\viss as ,being veey

. . .

pnsaionnte bisexually, but was .fond ot his homo-sexual· life. He regre~ted his al"rest for the. aamo,. It was

not ~ habit that·he conoeale~, but he p~act1ced it where

92

the family could see• should they so desit-e.

Mrs.· Swiss is srrtall1 of 11ght complexion and

und.arnou1 .. ished~ with f'aded blue eyes. She is d~scouraged

· eatd.17 •. · F?l'i some . tiine, she bad treatment tor not1 ve lues,

having, when she t1rst came to the Family Welfare Society

a "toul" plus V1asae111n1.uu1 n. on one visit she is bright and . ' . enthuai~st1cJ the ne~t time ah.a· is blue ancl depressed,

indicating moodiness. TIIE ·S:cmy· OF THE FAMILY

At an early age, Mrs·~ Swiss• mothel" wanted

her to '*go w:ttll. tellowsn, and ma.1 .. ry, so she \1ould ~ot

llave the financial burden to beo.:r. When itrs. Swiss was '

seventeen# sh& llnd typllo1d fever. Tll1s illness coat the'

mother considerable money. Following he~ recovery, her

mothe:r made many "datesn fott het" with Mr. S\11sa • When ho

'became attentiv.e.., ~ha mother insisted that IJtrs. Swiss ,'

accept his attentions. The :hex.t year M11s • Bilk and hel' f'run1ly en.mo

to the city to 11ve. 1.b·. Swiss also cnme. They thought

they O()Uld get mo:re \vor~ hara than in a small country

town.. Since they cl:t.d not hnve friends, they stopped a.t

a cheap hotel, where Mr. Swiss passed as a step-son. In

the months tl1D.t followed, !tr• and Ul"s. Swiss ware laft

alone a g:-ea t deal or the time 1 beoo.use he11 mother went

to work. \'*ih1le Ml'• Swiss · never aaked hel." to be immoral

with him• she was WOl'J.'*ied te1.,ribly about being left alone

with him so much. Xt distracted hel" to the.extent tlmt

v1heri he p:roposecl to her, she readily accepted, not be•

cause or love,. but because of e. faa11 . o.f v1hat pa.ople

would say nnd think.

Afte1' the rna~111~1ge, lh"B• S\d .. ss• mother lived

with them. In the first.yes.rs t~mt passed, she waa "pe1••

teotly happyn. Mr. swiss did well; although he never, .,

brought home very much n1one1• . Nevertltelttss,_ he p:rovided

relatively well for the family theae ;rea1~s.

Ml'*s •. swiss did not approve of bis masturbo.•

ti~n, especially, bees.us~ he was so .. open o.nd unabashed

a.bout 1 t. F11om time to time t 1 t would be 11eQesaney tor

Mrs• swia~ to wo1 .. 1< in ordel." to sµpport the family 1 ~ecause .

ber husband would wonde,_.. ~ff fol'i days at a tirae, t~1e~. come

home "broke". During these trials .hex' mother offered no .·

consolation, 1-.at~er 1nd1ent1ng that !Jh~~. Snss, v:sts at

fault, and not her llu~band. Bacnuee ot th1a attitw.:le1

and beoo.uoa or tl~e almost fol:'c:md ;· nmrl"inge #).· ttrs • Swiss

hns no respect for ~er m~the1"• an.cl do~s not assoe!ate with

her. Each s'U11'4-nel"1 Ml?. St:!.ss had the habit of going

of r to the ha:r:'veat f'ielda to work. About three yen~a ago,

he left on that mission and has only ~een home a few t1me$

since. 1-!ach time he "hits" Xe.nsns 01t1, ha stops to see

the f'am1ly, always p1,,omis1ng to support, maintain and edu~

cate h1s children, but ·1n tbeae past tbre~ yem.--s lle has

94

eont:vibuted only about eighteen dollars. About six weeks

ago, Mr. Svdss wss in Kansas City nnd stopped to see thom.

Re \VllS 1 according to his story, with a grading company,

but refused to give the.nnme of the concern. A.S they gl."OW 01{\er,. the childre~ S.l'e develop-

ing an antipathy towe.2)d.s _thei1., father, been.use or h1o con-

duct. Mrs-. swiss doubts that he' eval'.' associates with other

women. SIGNIFlOAlfr FACTORS Ilt Tlll~ PHOBL.15M SI'l'UATion

A• Social maladjustment ·1. Orio!s

The ar?iest.tol' masturbation created a ratller

dtsta~tetul attitude in the mind or t1r• Swiss

· towe.rd his social gr·oup. The call of the har-

vest field, and his formeP habita or going to

the h&rvest fields provided fol't him a pe1,ti•

nent reason ror leavi11.g home • . 2. Conflicts

F1~m time to ·tir.ne,.there waa a general con-

flict with h:la wii'e ovex- the Btlppo:vt of the

family• The g1'0V1ing burden of his children• s

economic needs due to their inovoasing o.geo. ·z;. Abse11ce or wholeao.me family traditions nnd

attitudes due to;

Ml". Std.sat fatherfs invalidism ond his lack

ot control over the boy.

The sex attitudes thnt came f1--om the gang.

95

An absence of an attitude o~ eou1al vnlue of family life•

Et1j oyr11ent nnd treedoni ot .. the·," ~osdtt . ooi'ztelated ·with the ideas, that the men had+

4. Industrial d1sorgan1zat1on·

Mr. s~11ss t work, as an unskilled laborer, was

so uncertain tlmt 1t or.ten toroed llim. t~ leave town to secure work •.

B. Personal unndjuatment and diso~ga111za1;1on :'. •, ,, '. .. .-

i •. 'rhe oles~ case ot.introv~rsion due toa. The an~ly practice of ~astu~bation The deaire to.escape ·l."enlity through phantas7 in novels and.'bis realization or a compensa-

tion through this substitution. ' The poss1b1l1t-y. or leading on indopendent sex life.

By leaving the home; he could realize this . int1.,ove1•sion v11thout any responsibilit7 to

· any ona. ·

2. , ?dental diso1"<lera ·

Mr. Svdss likely hnd parsie, because hia

wift? had an active luetic condition.

·easy Study (IS.

Lewis 35 Violet 31 Violet 5 Lewis 2

TUE Filnt FAMILY

(t.rh1s recoro indicates Q rrdil•ad-justed peJ.'lsonality, which is expressed in an exaggereted tom, and other reco11ds indicate .this. same personality clash, although

96

in a modified torm.)

INTRODUCTIOM ?ttr. Finl( carlle to the Welfare Society seeking

temporaey assistance, bec~ut1e he was out of. a job. He is supporting bis vd.fe and two babies, but he does not live

with them.,.· tor.'lus -..11te ha.s. deserted him. Be is suing

for a divo1 .. ce ·antl the custody of' the chiltl.ren. Evel' . ~ '

ainc~ thai~.mnrriage in i919, his wire has acted oddly. Ip. n shottt time, he discoverecl.alle bad an 1ntanse hlltred tor har,,parents. He passed this off lightly, thinking her eal."'ly pregnancy accounted fo~ the att1 tude, hov1aveJ:1 ahe

continued to develop othax- obsessions and grew u11t!dy in

bar d1•ess ~ allowing l\Ol:' body to become so d11•ty he could

not stand the odo:r. Ml"• !t1inl~ ia at h1e wits end.

STUDY OF TiiE BACKGHOtnlD

M~. Vink was born nea~ an Illinois city and

. spe11t h1a boyhood on a ta.rm, attending a rural school,

whe1 .. e he completed what is equivalent to the eighth

grade• When lie waa .. rowteen, his parents sepam. ted.

The causes , of tha1~ domestic d1ff1oulty a1"e not knoVln

to ltlm. For the. succeeding years he woi--lted 011 various

.. farms, and the~ learned the pninterts tl'ade. Tlrolve

years ago, his older brothel' came to Kansas City to live • . Mz.. F!n..1<:1 who lmd been living with his· mother and taking

- cal"e or her, brought her to tl1e city to mrilte their home.

The b1-other stayed only a sho~t tilne, and his mothe~ like-

9'7

w1se 1f retum1ng to him only periodically. Mis fathei- tnaX'•

ried again, and has retired tx-om busineaih He and his

wire are living·near Chicago now·. _Ah ... Fink snw the second

w11"e a number ·of' years ~.go, and coneideits her a · good w~ ·

man.

· Arter coming to Kansas City, he began working

tor nalaton and Con1pney·, \VhO are agents fol' a numbet.• of

large buildings. Sho~tly he wo.s e.dvan~ed to tlie position

of' superintendent of a. la1"ge building, \vbioh he lleld until

the v1ar. llr. Fink was d11afted and sa!*ved tlu'aee years, but

wus not aent ovel' sens. Fol.lmr/ing biri arn~» eJcperiences

ho be co.me the superintendent of' another .. la.:rge building,

which he held f 01.. th1"ee years • He has ·at tend.eel night .

school all the tiroe,ha has 'been in Kansas.City, attending

o.t a club, \'lhe1 .. e he form<n'lY lived. lie also reads e:ki"on• ·

a1vely.

tJrs • Fink Wt\s raa11ed 1n a ,.U.Ubi1.l'b ot Kansas. ·

City, whe11e she co1npletod the g~ade and high schools.

Following this she v~ent to a ~enom1nat1onal school, ~t

which she is n member11 a~"llpleting t1vo yetll's or college

and stonog1~aph1c work. As a girl, she was active in

churc}\.: work. She wol:*ked in Knnse.s C·i ty for ,several large

i'irms doi~g Stenographic wo:rlt. Fo:r two years ahe was a

die.to.phone opal'ator~ He1" record at the comps.ey indicates

that sho wna. successtul and efficient.

Mrs. Fink spent hel:l gi:ralhood with her pa~nta , ..

98

whoni 'all.a describes as "dirty, good-for-rioth1ng people

r;ith malicious and evil minds"• Previous· to completing

her high school work, she an~ h~fr pe:tle.nts were well nd•

justed; but appa1-aently she developed an obsession against

them 1nhex- latex- •teens. Sbe now will have nothing to

do with tliem, 1nsls.t1ng they are intent upon killing her.

Fo~ a pa~1od, previous to he~ marriage, ahe

v1as -.employed by· the pastox- of the ehu1~ch which she ntten•

ded, who also testifies o.a to her good workmanship, but

notes hett 0 peculiaritiesn. 11lese ntental difficulties

existed in her v1hen she was but o. child. As long as· she

was 1na good mood, and not nntngonized, she worked well.

Ah.rays, ltl"s • Fink has been careless a.bout he1" d1 .. ess.

lltl"S. Fink• s family and friends. 1011s have supposed she wns

afflicted v1ith mental disorders.

HOiin5 AND UlUGHBORUOOD GOUDITIOUS

Previous to theil' ma1•ringe, both pnrt1es 11 ved

·1n a vef!9 ~especta.ble pwt of town. Mr. Fink had lived nt

the do:rmitory of a t'espacted clUb. Since their maxariage,

they have lived in comfortable qua:vtel"s in a m1c1dle-olnss

cormnun:t.ty~ wherein economic conditions were such that com-' ._

foPt'was the rule. Neither eve~ hes been forced by ocon~

·omtc circumstances to live 111 d1al'6apectable parts or the city.·

SC!IOOL AND WORK

litr. Fink attended the equivnlent of the eighth

99

grnd•'• In addition~ lle has attended night school ever

since he has been in .Kansas Citr• Hts· wo:rk veco1'lfi ia good, ' '

o.nd he clra\~s o.s an average salary about one hundred iu·Jd.

sixty-five dolinrs a month. Mrs. Fink at·tended grade and h1gb schools,

. '

nnc.1 took stenogmphy. at a ,junior· college.· !lex• wot-k ,,-eoo:cd

is good in every instance., except that he;r ef.f'ieienor vatt•

1es \'.:1th her moods. At times. wl1on she has been crossed ..

and .o.ntagonited, she has not been able to wo~k. DELINQUEHOIES

There are none known. C OMPA NI Ol~S

Mr. Fink associates with v1holesome Olll'*1s.t1an

men, who are serious minded, and interested in theil.1 in• d1v1dunl advancement, especially. along the lines ot study.,

Mrs. Fink never has bad many close personal associates. In her youth, she attended and was aotive in her chul1oh groups J howeveJ.• since h~r tnti1Jt::-1e.ge, sh& doeir

not attend chm')cli. She seems to have isolated herself.

She is Jenloua of her children and will not allow them out or her sight. IU'L'ERt!:STS. AIID UABI_TS

litr. Fink 1s neat and well appearing.. He 1s interested in interior decoration and elect~1ca1 engi• nearing. Both of these subjects are used in bis building

wol"k. He converses intellige1l.tly upon sub j<i'H::ts of present

100

day 5.nterest. Mrs. Fink# on the other hand, nppnrently hns

only two 1nte1"eata • herself and hel' two children. She is

d1rty •. 1n dress· and person, .allowing he~ home to become

obnoxiotia • Re:r .. ch1ldren nre never' neat • She keeps out

of other peoplets sight, because she feels that everybody

llaa a hat11ed against ber1 .. a11d that all are plott1TI.B to

c injure her- and the ·children.

IIIDlVIDUALIZA'?ION · ·

mr. Fink 1a a· man of unusually fine physique,

· museul&.r a.nd st11ong w1 tb a firm ca.1 .. ringe, frank expl:'ession,

a deliberate. manner, He is always immaculately clean. He

.apes.ks with long phrases and words, erring in the a1mplol'

E...'lglish gJ?rumnatioal forms~ He is tolerant or h1s \.-:ifet o

attitude, .s.1ld b.ua shown loyalty, by attending to all the

expenses that she 11as incurredt

, Mrs.·~ Fink, al though she dl:'esses cn1"elessly

·and is slo\rei1ly:J.tn h&l." enr~1ue;a, is physico.111 chnl'llling.

Her skin is Qlear and e.h1ld-l1ke, Slie hsa o.n attrnotive

smile and a winsome,. l:'esa:tlved. Ji1tm .• rie~. Ml"'S, Fink• s moods,

oddities, general dishavmony wa~e attv1buted, in the

clinic• to dementia praeco:t. She is cleru."ly parnoinc~

Her hallucinations are well defined!t She was plo.oed

under obae~ation at the Gena~nl llospital, where it was

estimated that he~ difficulties date back about fifteen

yea1-.a-h Forced feeding hnd to be ~eaortecl to nt the hos•

101

p1tnl. Only'onoe or t\d~e·she has evel' indicated .any

homicidal tendanoies. · Her· condition 1.s n<>t ser10us enough·

to wru•ra.nt comm1ttment. She imwt_,· however, be kept bUSJ'

nnd more or leas guided, otherwise she wtll cnusehers~lf mol"e trouble. 'llIIE STOHY OP 'I'HE FAMILY.

MP. and lh,.s. ·Fink were mru.~ried in 19191 e.:ftex-

a yea.r•a acqua1nto.noeabip._ She was then, apparently, an attractive young woman, interestecr in heri chm--cb wo1~k.,

Mr. :Et'inl-c joined. hel" church. He lo.ww ahe was not friendly

to her family, although he t11c1 r1ot l:'eal1ze t;he.t it wos in··

di ca ti vo 01• a mental abno.t'Jua.li ty, fox- he had no occasion

to meet them, and jurlge theil" merit.a. one clay previous

to the1r r.aar1"*iage, she came to lleJ:» office petttlent o.boiat

some irnuginary gl"ievnnce, and acting in a strange manne:r.

This bahnv1or c1•onted a aiisp1cion, but since they were . engaged, and thoughts of d1sappo1nt1ng her we1-»e not

pleasant 1 he passed it off• They we1-.e m:;~:r1"ied. Even.

from the first f'ev1 weeks of' the marriage, he deeided

thn t she was not nol:'lral, for she imagim~d people wette

plott1ng·agn1nst hel", she loathed and detested he~ par-

ents, and she v1as ca1"eleas $bout ho~ pe1-.son and the house.

He:zt former sociability dfsappaa1'ed and ~he. appeared to lose all aml>1 ti-on.

Mr. Fink excused these unusual occurrences be•

102

caua,~ of her pregnancy. wbioh began immediately after their

mavr1aga• , She was undt1?' the csre or a physician ror the nine months and delivered at the Ross Hospital. According to Mr. Fink, she was treated by a psychiat~ist.

He felt then.they:ahould separate, but he was

anxious 'tor a hcnne, and. hud good tonhogany fttrn1 ture nnd

alao 01')iental rugs,· wbich could no~ well be stored. She

contin~ed to be u11sociable, still rai'us1ng to ·11ave any-

. thing to do with either h1s or ll.er own family, nnd was

most UJU1easonab~e about the baby, whom she wo1"all.ipped •

. ·. Tbs second child was bor1~ .. a.t Ross IIosp1tal,

and shoi-tly ·a.t-te~va~s she left him. He then stoved ld.s

furniture, which now has been ·sold. fol .. · sto11af$e•

Y~· F.1nlt continued to wo111k &.t the Hex Building

t)oz• about a year 1 and· then gnve it up to do 1ndopendent

work. 'r\iro woelrs previous to the opening or this ,..,ecord.,

he Yma- advise~ by his atto~ney to sue for ·a clivol'ce, be•

cause the nervous ,stl:ia!n 'v1as telling on him to such n de•

gree that ha was siclt rmch ot the time. '. mv. F111.k•s divorce ultimately wna grnnted,

and i;he Juvenile com~t 01xiered ltrs • Fink to hnve a mental

exam1:n.at1on. Through the mental department or the Health

Conaervo.tion Association, she was taken to General IIosp1-·

tal, where the .abotre diagnoida was made. ~1ha colll.'1t granted

llim tha custody of the cluldr~u~, nnd g1tnnted pel."Illission to

remove them from the state. While 11ra. Fink was 111 the

103

hosp.ltnl under observa:tion, they were sent to a couatn :tn Illinois. He is to co11tinue to suppor-t .her.. Tlle idea ot taldng the chiltlren away i')rom his fo:vroo~ wire., while the

aenaib~e thing to do, was :vavolting to 14?J.• F1nlc1 because.

he lmaw hO\V much she loved them, desp1t.e the tact that

this selfish love would l'Uin the cluldr.en•s- fut,we.. Be has cried many times at the office, l1ecaua.e ot this pro-• cedure.

Mrs. F1nlc _was· not s commita.ble caae. \TI:1en

aho waa releaae-d fx-om the hosp!ta.11 .afteP treatment, she

was told of' the manner in .which. belt children had been ·

disposed of'. The staff physicians expected an emotional outburst, but instead, slia was very sat11 a.nd 11\dicated

only that aha would miss them, a.nd that in the nea:r fu•

ture she would take steps to recover tllam. Xt is an odd fact that she cloea not blame he1 .. busband, nor the cO\Wta., nor o.11y or . the agencies 1 f 01'* tal-cing the children., but is confident thnt the church ia behind :Lt nnd waa responsible foxa the action.

Through the efforts of the Fa.mtly Welfare . So•

ciety, lip-)1t vro1--k wns obtained · f ov ·· he?i • Since she is an efficient typist, th1$ was not a difficult task. Ii sis•

ter, who is located nt J~ffe-rson City, and employed by

the State or tlissour11 has offered to help heit f!nan•

cially, should she not .be able to tr..nke he1? expenses, and

her fo1~er husband be unwilling to assist her• Mr. Fink

104

'V'ttUl r 011 ced to give .support t~ough the Society, because

t.U°'S• ·Fink would not accept it directly from him. No

prognosis as to the ou:rn.bilityotr her. condition baa been

offered by the pb.ys1ciana. They merely ndv~se that she have light work, and that in the event or tempora17

lapses, slla be l'etul""ned to them. It is thoi:r opinion

·that she should have constant employma11t nnd not be

allowed to be alone.

3IQMIFICA11T FAC~ORS IU TUE PROBLEM SITUATIO?l

A-. Social maladjuatment

The ·particula~ crisis came as the result of

l1~x-.s • Finlct·s pe1 .. t.mnality di sturbancos. Sho

lof't he1'· husband. Many of tho mental cnaes

take a dislike to those they hnve loved.. In

this attuntion, Urs. Fink first tui .. ned against

her P~l".ents, and later the husbnnd bocnmo the

object of her ll.nll1tc1nat1ons.

B. Personal unadjustment and disorganization

Mi-ss. Fink surrered f Q~ ten ol:' fifteen yen1's

rvom Dementia Praecox, and the pitiful ele-

ment S.1.1'ises 1n tb.nt Ml'. Fink f'ai led to ronlizo

tllS eign1f1oances or his wifeta conduct and

niental attitudes; co11sequently the b1"eak @ame and she received no tl'eatment when the symp-

toma n.~st appeared. There can be no doubt bttt that this mental condition 1a tha direct

105

cause of tll.a. breo.oh. ln ma117 of the otheit

families atudied, similn:xi symptoms nppear, hov1evar many or them go undiagnosed and the desel'tion 1s attJ:ibuted to aonte aux-face con• dition tlJAt probably is _not the ~eal cause·

which would need treatment to ~emedy the si tuo.t 1on.

Case Study /}9, TUE FOSS FAMILY

Mr. Foss 43 Mt's. Foss 23

Wilson 3

INTRODUCTION

In 19221 111l1s. i."oss applied to the FamilW Wel•

rare Society fol' food. Mi... Poss owns n tru.elt1 t;rhich lle

has been driving, but now thnt his license has expil'ed ha cannot use it. He, his wife, and her brother had come

to the city only a few month$ p~evioua. Thia was the1:c first experie11c~ with city life• •. The men bl"ought -the

trucl( with them expecting to c.10 a drayag& buainesa,. o~.

be huokstetts; however theii'i .bus1neaa vontu:ve was not successful, Temporiu.-y a.as1stanca was given. It vtaa d1t• ficult fol" Ur. ]1oss to get work because he \fB.S un.sk1llect.

At this time, their h0tiia we.a clean and ?tb~s. Foss tried

hnrd to help him manage v1oll. ~hen they d1sapi1ea11ed for-tvto years,

In 19241 Mrs. Fass wanted nursery privileges

106

because heit llusband had not hnd 'steady wo:ttl( and was not

providing tor tli.em. He had been out or· the city tor sev-

eral mot\ths on n railroad job, but had not sent home

·enough money to prov'ide for the wif'e and the child, At ·

th1a. time• Nll-.s. Foss v;as eX.cesa1 vely fat and d1vty. Their

house "vas f1ltliy. ur. Foss apparently was indifferent to

the. cireumstanoea, resenting any suggestions, and cln1m•

i.ng that be wo.s ill. His sole des11'e seemed to be tll.nt

&irs. Foss should go to work. A phys1oal examination imU.•

· cated that he wa.~1 a. rm.111ngerer and had no physical trC\Uble.

STUDY Ol" TI-tt~ BACKGROUliD

Ml?. Foss was bo1~n in Indiana, whe1se his pnr-..... , , r •·

en ts c.1-te tenant i•o.l"mttt•s, who n1--e aelf auppor-ting, ul though

they cnnnot read OI" write. Ue was rniaecl on a farm nnd

:rernn1ned tlle1'e until young manhood. At tho age or twelve,

he kne\1 of sex d.es:traa, and often was found playing \Vith

the horaas and dogs. About this timo he began mast'tll'ba• tion, which he 11as continued all his l:1.i1e. In his enrly

tteens he 'ttaa an ind.ust>:tioua worko1.,, end veey steady,

avoid111g g1:ttls and preferring to be alone as much as

possible•

Five other brothers still live 1n this comnru-

n!t:r~ where. they \vei-ie bOl"n and l 1ear00.. They have been

known to have broken the law3, nncl to :have stolon, but

none has eve1~· se11ved time in the penitent1ney. They have

10'7

been skillful in ateal:b1g nnd have seldom lltive been caught. Another brother is a steady; :.respected. matt 1n bis cominun1• ty, who hna m.nrried twice, d1~o:r:-cil1g his fittst 111fe because

she was irx-egular w1 th othe:r men. One of his tutcles died.

in a mental hospital, anotha:r was believed to he'lVe been ' ' . ~

"g1mplen • 'l'he b~othe~s always have kept together and lmve been 111st1"tlmental .in getting each othe1" out o,t trouble. It is :r01naX'kable to note .that 11r, Foss nev~r ~s been a

rnem~ar of their snng, tu1d that they have i1ev@r belped him

in nny way,

Mr-s. Fos~r• s mothex-, who wo.s bOl"'n and ;reared on a farm, l1e.d seva1"a.l b1~othe1--s nnd s1st;e~·s, all or \Vhom ve ..

ceived college educations. They have ma.rvled ~1el,l, ·e.nd

now al:'e estv.bl1ahad ''1th ~espectable fw11ilies • ?JPS• Bass,

Mrs. Foss ts mother, wae alwa7s difficult to manage, and

not at all intexaestcd in school. As a girl slle wrote·

bits of poet1•y, which she ~ecited. at eommm1it1 affaivs •.

Whon ohe completed high school, she VH;nt to Wilk College,

whero she met a Pl'ofessoxa and married him. They had tvro

sons. '1.'heir rather died when they tvex-e babies. He left

a m~all nmount of insurance. With the money. Mrs. Baes

ce-'lle to the middle west• He:tt r.aother would not allow he~ ..

to take the children vd th hel->, cmd s.s a. :tlesult the fa.m111

became separated., The tv10 boys now have grovm to be a•e•

spected citizens.

When 1~u1s • Dass ce.me West she beoarne o.saoe1s.ted

on the tiia1n with an 1tine1"ent Swiss watch maker, whom

aha .shovtly ma.1.,r1ec1. .Tlle t1rat few yeal'S of theixa mar-

riage maved along smoothly•. Eleve11 cld.ld:ran wette bori1,

of wllich tliara 1ie1-.e foui-- sets of tw1ns. All c11etl nt b:Lt'th

excepting one ·g11.<)l and one sot or twins• This Swiss, liirs •

Fosa•a ra.tber1 claimed he hnd received. a blovr on. the hond

v1hen lle was just a boy. that· made 1t difficult for him to

ttJork Qt times. . Gradually, he cnme to support his fnm1ly

less and less• nn(l they moved to poorer sections. lle

threatened, f1,.om tirr4 to tL"ne, to ltill the chid1~n. F1.-

nall11 he tle!:H$l"ted._ and the tv1fe and children came to R'o.n-

aas City, w.he1'e he had beeu sent· to the pr1aon farm et

Leeds 011 a vagrancy chavge. Hara fh--a • Bas.a was t•ecognized

by one of he1~ sons by the first mnrriag$ • lle wan·t(~c1 to

clean her up, l"ent a house and take ca11 e or ha1--. She

· stayed· only two ·weeka1 a.nd then lef't tor Oklahoma. It

was then that the .yen~ old dnughter, 14110. I"oas, wo.s placed

in a. good home. When sh.a wns but 1'ourteen, har ruothel"

wanted .to go to a nen~by atate, and p1~epnred to lenve,

·inviting Mr. Foss to a~c<Jmpsn:y them. He was to finance

the trip, and when they e.r111vad he was to ma1"ry M1"s• Foss.

She refused to go• appealing to the peoplo in the conmrunity

to p1--otect her., which they did. Juvenile Coui"t protection

plneed hei:i in n good hotne, where l(ind.ly f am1ly influonces

kept her 1n school.

109

'l'hen Mrs. Foss ts tr1enty · yee.1., old sistev ruawied

~. Foss's b1•othel', a11d refused to le·t M~~s. Foas see her ·

mother, who was living with her in Oklaho1P.a, unless she

mal'1'ied 1~. Foos. Sl1a became so lonely that e.tte11 some·

little time, she agreed to rnarcy him and d:td.

HOME ,,lm m~ICUIBOIUIOOD. COMDITIOMS

The Fossts live in a poor, congested section

Of' the City, \Vhioh is COnlPOSGd Of cheap l100lnillg hOUS6$ and

badly lighted a11d furnished tanf)ment houses. Vice and

lnwlessnosa a1~e provalerit. ?Enrcy" are sllittless, and ao

not p1--et;eii.d to 11ve by hom;)st meana. ~he intel"io:r ot the

homo is alwa.yg dirty and 111 kopt,

SCJL~'OL AND WORK

Ml". Foss a·t:hondad $Chool only a sho1"'t pe1"iod.

At ·the present his veoord of wo1--k is poor. He simply will

not do anything but sell new~;;papers on the cor-ne:r of

T'~1el£th a.nd G1'*snd st:veets, whe1.,e at t1nies# he makes as

much as e. dollar a day, but otten not half .. that much. A

brothezt or hi::l attempted a nunlbel.' of times to get him a

job, and once took him vd.th bim 111 quest of work. Thef ·

\vent to a pJ.n.ce v1he:r.--e lubol' was wanted. Mr. Foss ·went

up to npply for ·the job• He starm.ne11ed ao badly that he

wri;s l'efused. His bl1othe:t1,, howave1-., in.te:rvened and they

were ta.lten on. They v1ere to start immt~dia.tely. · His broth•

er pulled off his coat and pitched into his work. About

fifteen minutes later ha obsei--ved Mr. !«'toss go1n.g down tlle

110

. ,·. ' .: . '

road: •. VJh~n he inquired,:. the boss told him thtlt if it took

Mr. ·Foss t1ttean· minutes t;o get his coat off, he 'ms e.ft'aid

be could 'not "use llim. ''I'hia slowness is characteristic

of him.

Mrs. Poss g1"adue.ted i'1'om the eighth gl'tlde, nnd

· b.as a good work record. Until a couple of yeo.rs ago, ahe

kept her house neat and clean.

DELINQUE1WIE3.

There are none known •

. _COMPAMIOliS·

M:i:'.- Foss hns none, exc0pt a dog that he hna

: hac-;1 :f:'o:r. olght z0n~s. He doe!l not sasociv.te with othel"

peoplA, and only taken interest in 11Vil.eon, his ,Jon, nnd

'Mr-a.. Posa. Mrs . .,.. Foaa hria been rether friendly with wo-

ment whom she. has met through the Fe.mily V!elfare sooioty,

but it is not,ltnotvn tbnt she llAs arq close aasocintes.

Her environment is not conducive to aoc.1a.l i11tel'mingl1ng,

except. tot" it~noral pu11posea •

. INTEHESTS ,A.UD Hl~BlTS

Mr. Foss does not• seem to lw,ve any interests,

except sex satiufaation, uhich ho obtains by perverted

meo.ns. He will lie upon his wire in the custonw.1~ pool•

t1un :fo1~ nol\ms.l eohabite.tion; 11owev~r, since he cannot

sactttte erection, he ·:rondlas either the sex Ol"gnns of the

dog or his little boy and apparently ~eooives compensation.

lll

Neither his wife no1 .. the boy enjoj" submitting to thifl pi-o•

cedure. On one occnsion, when the v1atto1• called, this

procedure was in pl'*ogreas. Evel"Y tin1e that visits were

mncle, previous to h1 s depa11tu11e 1: the fand.l.y ar.1d the dog,

al\~nys wel1e lying on the bed, This. along with doing··

T.iothing but just lying· at111., and $ell1ng nEnvspape:vs . ' .

nppemrs to co11sti tute ~ll bis ·interests•

Mrs. Foas does not now appeal' to have mttch

inter•est • She likes hat• \)Oy ancl . nO\V WOX-l"iea i'Ot' fea1~ ths.t

her htu~lJatld. will kidnap him.· Sha goos or.rnaaionally to the

moviea, r:.nd now· nmi then tcr eh:urch.

IHDIVIDUAI .. IZA'l1IOU · ·

whoa he w:.a.!l only twelv·e yoe.ra old.. . Be often was caught , I

fondling n horse and tnlti11g ~ibart:Les with h~~maelt,.. lie

1a ·lriry S::lall. His lowe11 Jaws are badly uw~lformed end be llao Hutchinson• s teeth. This yaa1., a physl.onl exan'iina tion

rovenled 110 1a1ou1,1e, while a psyehiat~io Euce.nt1rint1on l'e .. ·

veo.led lO'*it g1"•lde rnentnli ty, sex pe1'jveraion1 an 1mpoasib1l..-

1 ty to do any manual labor, a.ml nb111ty to do only the

s:tmpl$st type or lnbor •. A g1"Eldunl brnin involment al:raad.7

ll!~s. Foss, on the ether he.nd, in la1-.ge 1 tnt, and rather fair skinned~ She has liecl hsti:'(:'~ nppoars to be plensant.. Hatt phyu:tca.l exe.m.1.n&t1c1n indicated pertu1taey m11posi ty, n tbyroid condi t1on, nnd a need f'o~ · tree.tment

112

tor ttat reduction. The psychiatric exnmine.tion inclicnted

th~it she hrad a !'lOrmal intolligence, and thnt he~ present

1nabi11ty and laok of interest in koep111g t11a house clean,

a1'ld having more normal attitudes end responses likely is due to he~ envirom1ent and the distasteful Gax experiences

· sll.e has endm-ecl •

THE STCl~tY. OF THE 11.AMILY

Follovdng this me.r:t•inge, when she was only

sixteen and Mr. Foss to1"ty, alle began to b.e.te him exces-

sively. They hnd .lived togethe1-. only six weeks when ahe

lei"t him• going to o. nearby townt whore she obtained work

on a power machine. 'rho aversion t(1 tu ... Foss porD1st6d1

bece.uae he \!Jas so w1olean1 loose sexually, and mastlll."•

bated in. her p!'o&enoe. He tollo\1od Mrs. Foau to tlds

tow·n and pe1~auaded her to r<.rhul."n to him,. nnk111g all ao111ta

ot p1•omisas to he1~, which Mx-s, Foss really believes he

wanted to l:ceep, l}ut ooulcl not• :ro1, lacl( or will power.

lfftt• Foss always ymnt;ec:\ M:r~s • Foss to p11ov1de

the living, muell pl:lefer11ing to utay at home and assuming

the household duties. Folll" yenra nfte~ their mnr~1nge, Wilson was bc1ln• ~'ollo,ving this bivth she grew exceasively

rat, hnving dyal'!!orreha. thnt 1s, scanty msnst1~ui\t!on. For the past thltee years, she and hel' husband have been \UUtble

to h~ve n,ormal co-habitation becat1se or the innhilit7 or lb.'. Foas to obtain an el"aetion thnt \'d.J.l retain 1tnelf

until he has made the connection w1 th his wi:re. This in-

11:5

nbil:Lty t .. or intorcourae is blamed by Lt~. Pons upon his'

wife, who ho a.:Jserts, fG.ils tol."lespond_to his desires.

It is true that ro:r.~ the past ·t~ee years ?t!rs • Foas has

ht1d very little desi11e. Tl1e11 ~ti·. F'OSS de>ttiaed the ab• normal means or satisfying h:!.msel.t. This Cl'•~ated greater. a'Ve:ttaion :tn M:Nh Foss. When Mrs• Foss la:fiely began in•

sisting that 11e work, o.nd ·was more seve11 e about the sex•

unl laxities, M~. Foss disa.ppea~ed.

Mi"S• Foss feara tlult he ·,vill try to kidnap

the btt'by) who butes h1a rather, ·.This youngster is will•

rul and stubbol"n, h'l1t !tT~s. Foss nlways governs hlm by

rensoning iind 1;11lld11g to ·himt while Ml"•· Foss did notl11ng

but whip h1rn sevoi-ely •

SIGNIFICAMT FiiOTOrt::.; IU THE PHODraM SITUATION

A, Social maladjustment

l. C~1s1s

M1--s. Foss ts insitrta.nces thv.t htJ~ httsbu.nd WOX'k1

coupled with her con11>laint. or his pe11vava1on, pi"ec1p1 tated the dotun.~tion

2.. c.onfliats

over non-support, ror M:::i.s_. Foos did uo.t want.

to receive a.1d, ,.,hile M1•. FotJa thought :tt quite

o.11 right. ovo1~ Mr, Foss ta malingering, due to

hia doaire to lQllf and indulge in sex perver• a ions

3. .Absence or wholesome family traditions nnd ntt1-

tttdea due to; Both Ml'• and Mrs. Foas felt thnt niax1ringe wns

merely to be entered .upon fo1• .immediate sat ..

:tsfactlon, nnd it 1t railed. there, the rela .. ·

tionsh1p shoulc1 b~ broken off~ These attitudes

a1~e the reHul t or (o.) a t:rnnsmis s ion from pnr-

en.ts .or a p1"oduct or childhood observation,

nnc..l (b) marriage unde1-. pressu1'$e, so far n.s

?dtts. Foss we.a concex•ned.,

: 4 Ind.11.strial d.iso:t'ganization

1;;11-t. l"osa waa or audi mental and physical

makeup that 11.e was not f 1 t i'ol" the present

com11lica.ted indueti'\inl system or which he :ts

a part. As a result lte could not adjust him•

self nnd en~n a l1Ving.

B. l?ersona.l m1t;tl,1uatmeni~ tlml diso:ragQn1zntion

l. Mt~a. Foasta a-r.te1'laion to her husbsnrl, d\\e toJ

The ci:r,cum~itancea of their tna 1"'1'1iiige

141". FQ!3 s ts ::.:elo. t1onships with othe:r women

Mr. Fosste mnstuvbet1on

Mr. Vossts impotency and perversions

Inal,1lity of Mr. Foss to keep clean

2. Ur. Foss ta 11"'1-.1 tations tvi th his r--11fe 1 due to;

a.Faili.tre. to effect successful co-habitation, dueJ

(1) Ur. Fossts impotency

115

116

(2) Mrs. lross ts, coldness due to a mal• : physical cond1t1on

b. Mra. Fossfs pcysical condi.t1on

·, (l) She is. fnt _and slovenly . '

o. Mr~. ·foss·•a inadequate. housekeep!~

3. M~11tal subnoi'rnali ~y

n. Mt' .• , Fossts low g1•nde mentality, aocoml>a~ed

· \vitll _axcessiva sex pe1-.ve1:i.s:1on, makes him: Un.-.

f-lt for- heavy l~bor nnd only fib .fOl"' t_he

ai41ples·t tasks

l. Diac.::•epaney in ·the.ir agEHJ ,

2, · M!'. For·ul' a physlcnl (}om11 tion, h1JU1dit.!t~pping him

fox- vm1~k

' . ,, . '

diatu1"bance mald.ng he?t leas nttracrtive, de• ·

s t1--~,ring her i~.i t1a ti ve, ai1d l"'e11del?ine hat-

"~old".

case Study #lo •.

John A1111a

Ilfi\HODUG~I ON

THE lmALS FAM.ILY

·Mrs. Ilea.ls cnm~ to the Family .weli\e.re Sooi·ety

n little over u year ago, wanting ndvi~o. ~Jn tlle placement

of her children, fo1~ Mi,. Iieals, he:r husbnrid, had been em•

'. . ~ .

ployed only.part time for about· one yen~~ due to his ill-

ness ... Since irr. lies.ls is n motorman. on the Street Ro.11-

wa:ys ,;- he· had been ·atten-0.ed by a. company physician~ who

· had given tl1a diagnosis of. lddney' trouble, vrhich is the

usual ail.rm;)nt of the street ·cal" employees. Hez. husband

then had· gone t·O Gene:t'ial Hospital whel--e he was diagnosed

at once as having pulmonary tuberculosis in an advanced

s1;a.ge;" and was in immoc11ate need of hospitalization •

. With the elimination of' .the wa.se en1iner.; nn.turnlly the

d'tr!>ies devolved upon tb.e w:tfe .•

STUDY OF• THE BACKGROtmn

Unfortimately, the1~e has been no back history

recoi~ed on this record. We have :c.10 idea aa· to the oarly

childhood of eithei,, Ml ... or !ih"a• n~::als.. In this :t~·ecord

thenp we cannot expect to look to absolute: ca.uses·• hm1eveI-

it will be valuable to note tlmt this family, when under

pressure, 1t1Ias not able to . .stan.d a 01,.lsis ~ such aa are met

by many othe1') qu:s.si•norni.~l l'nrniliea.

HOkrE AlID UEIG!IDORHOOD COUDITIONS

The l~enls fi1--st lived in Ei ratl1e1• l"espectllble

part o:r the tovm1 but with the loss of the wage earnor,

the7· allowed SO.Ir~ Of their furniture to be ta.ken back

because or their inability ·to finish the payments. Through

the sid . Of the Family Y-ielra1"e Society': they moved into

furnished i--ooms :that w0re very neat.· The ho!ne has nlwnys

been .kept clean, and the children were well d~ased.

117

. SCHOOl'J AMD WORK

or Mr.: Heals' schooling, we have no knowledge; boweve1 .. his work record ttntil the time or h:ta illness 1$

the best. He was not only X'~liable, but also orr1cient, and took nn intel. .. ast in hi~ wo1 .. k.

/\,gain~ we know nothing of i~11ch Nealst school•

ing, bu1; like hex- husb&nd, her ·woJeik record is good, for

ohe ctlwnys kept her house in good cond1tton Dr:ra:miumwI11:s

The1--c~ n t"e none lmown~ OOMPANIOHS

iJe do not lav:rn mu.oh at the ix• social eontO.cts, oxcap1;:tng ·chat he wn~ a fo.vo:rite 01~ i~he t11en at the shops tt nor relationship with the Faulil-y VlelfQ1"e society is the ·

highest.

INTJ!~RJ£$f!'S Ji.ND HABITS

Prior to the illnear-t, bo·tll. the ht1sband arid the

wife were intei"'ested 1n the home and ohild:ven. Mt'• m~als woul<i come home shortly a1-.te1 .. work· hom,s, and the farrJ.ly

would spend thoit' le1au1'i0 .rJoments togetlle:.~1 eithal:'t nt

home• -Ol" ·at some place of amusement nml :i•ecl.'oation. llIDIVlDUA!.,I2ATIOH

Lit•. Naa.l a• since lds illnes!l, has bean e11ttel e.!ld brutal • II! s wif a hns not been tolerant towaro him.

THE STORY 01~ ·'!tl-IE FJU1ILY .

118

1\&ilways,hehed,been'a.tt~nded bye company pcysicinn,

who has given the d.ia.gnosis of kidney ti--oublo. Ilia l"ap1d

failure 111 health had ce.uaed h~.s dissa.tisfnction with the

physician. Four months lnt~l11 . nn e~ttJ.1n1wtion nt Oanornl

Hospital, indicated. advt.tnct~d p,:4.lmonary tttl)erculoais, which

needed $umwdiata hosp1tnlizrit1on at the tuberculosis hos-

pital maintained nt Leeds. Several we'eks. lnte1,..,. Lt:r. Noal

went to Leeds~ stayi1lg only o. f e1i1 day a 1 then I'etul:*ning

home• because .cf the small family income• 1,~r.s • Neala

1n(11e::itec1 f.l. fc;:a~ of the· disea$e, Ol)jeot1ng to Ml'• Uenls

ilsing the snme diahes as the famil:;:t. Appnl"ently th1s

:t>(;1provu1 hu:rt M:::111 Neala, fo1-t_ shor1#ly, in n bU1"st of tam .. ·

Previous to tr.is illnesu, their :f'nm11y life

had btlen j.denl. Mr• Me~lls waa a. ateody t.1101~!0!'..u.n, rGl1nblo,

and provided ti:;all for his r.nm1ly, .Aftel:' wor!c hours, lie

alv:a.ye stn7ed e.t homo• where excellent heme life was to be fotmd..

. The :r~.r111ly hnd purchased six hw..drcd dolln!"a

worth of furniture,. nnd hnd paid out all but th~ leu:Jt

hundred; hc·;w¢ver Mr. Mr. Neals protra~ted illness bDd

fo:•ced them. .to. rel~ulse this furniture. At tha p:t'e~ent,

they n 1~a 11 v'tnc;" in iiwo' clenn: :room.a wh~ ch il.:ro 11ented f'U!t-

nished, ·· in.··a11 environment that is good nnd ln whioh i~he

:t:amily n~per:ll.1 to fit well. They hnve goc.a. J.ooldng and

c01nfortable clothes.

119

Since 1~. Nealts illness, ha has become f'ret• . . . ,;

.ful and restless, ¥1itl1 this change 11 tbere also has come,.

n f1el:'ce and brutal tempe:r •. several times in.the past few mo11ths, Mrs• Neal has feared her llusl,and because of

his temper. On a numbel" ·of ocoas:Lons1 $he has telt that

1·t v1us impossible t;o live witll llim an~t longeri~ At times,

Ml'. :Meal threatened to ts.ke one of the eh1ld1~en -. l\1elvi11 •

nnd go West for bis health.

Through the effOl't of the Family· Welfare So•

eioty, tho brotho1~hood advr;\nced m.oney fxamn their sick

bm1et~1 t 1nou.i"1nn.ce i\tnd l\lld p1~cvi<lod~ frcm1 the compaey

:?Jto::-c, ct"cdi t fo1• t;he Mee.ls ftimily. '11l1e ln.1otherhood

c.llotment 6 e.nd \'!!th Ml"• Uoals at Leeds, the family could

li \~e '\'!i thou.i; eurre1•ing.

In ·the .following m~mths, Mr .• Meals ha$

or twc• &nd. t.hfln for rt 11 M~le while et the ho$p1 tal. Tho.tr

c11 edit e~.ch month at the con1p&n.y ntore has e;~ceeded

sixl-:y dolltlrs. From time to time, tt!r, Netils ha.a c0!11pla1ned

1~0 tht' 1r1s1to~ tlw~t hisi w:tfe ·f.ras ex.trave.~nt, trhen' in real•

:U;y 1 ha he.(1 dona s-tll tb.e pi.u-.chas:h13 at the store. All.

through the aonta.cta with the brothei~hotx1 and ·the cgenc!;

he alwv.ys hns attempted ·co nmJ:e his wife t:b.D "goG.f;" ot his excessive expencl~. tux~ea-" Of·tEm, toe, he hns tr;(mtio11ed

with much resentment, his iuifets fear or· the disenao.

·Mrs~ Nettla never bas 'been .at all tolerant or

theae acqutred tendencies. ~f Mr •.. !teals. Instead of humol"•

~ng him, a~~ att_empting to ·a.ss:t..at him in ·these trying times,

'V1hen his pe.J:tsonal~t7 ·is. so abno11Ilml, ~ho l"ntl1er is inclined

· tQ que1'rel ld.th him and to tuke seriously ·eve1-.ything .that . ., ..

-he _asys. tlben·lle stays nt home,.ha threa1;ens to f!O Weat

and leave her behind. Du~~ng these months of illness, . . \

ti, ..... Heo.l 1a losing l;l"Ountl ve17 rap1dll-...

Fo11 tl period. o:f' two months, Mr• Nenl stayed

with u oel:'ta:l.11. amt.nuit of: :regulal"i ty. at Leeds.· To the

hosp1 tnl n t tendants, he ~i.lv:a~rs stn ted thn t ha WO'llld never

l111a with uthat; women" ngtd.11. In spit~ of thotl~ tl-.ying

t~:tmes~ Mrn. Meal !'emained · pe:rfeatly nat1•a1ght0 , 1.incl d:lrl

11ot ~rnsociata Yd.th otl1e1 .. men, alwa.ye trying to holp Mr.

Meals, excepting tht!t she would fuss wi.th him, u.nd not

toJ.e:t .. ate his i.mjuot aocuse.t;ions •.

M:t''• Meals, a;h t:l.rr~s, ins: .. ated t.hat the ch1l•

<h-.en be nen.t to a. "Homen• 11ih..ts was done. Presently Ml".

Nea.l u took t<) leiw1ug Leed$ \vi. th9ut permia sion. He '.vould

conM.~ to town and buy <.: iga.1-.e t;a by the carton, fl"esh .fru1 ts

anc1 rneny otha11 iion~essentials. One time, lie tuolr n yel-lrAV ta.xi~eab ride;t which cost him three dolltt11s. Fi·

nally the atttho~i ties becrrn10 uo diagus tet1 with bis 11100-·

lenee they diHolmrgod l~m because of "'Jiolation of tho

121

l'Ules-1. The visitor then attempted to establ1ah a little

home, where he co'ltld 11va with his wife and observe hos.- .

p1 ta.l rules of rest each clay. ~nstee.d. of "stayit1g put" 1 ·

he l'enisned from the b1'othe:rhood, and left v1oro with his . .

siatar thnt he was leaving for /\.l"iZona, a~d has not been

aeen since. Four months he.va passed• . So ta1-. a.a can be

ascertained, .no word lmf:l been learned. ns to bis v1herQ-

abouts; whether he is living or dead. The children. are

plu ced in a dny ntn1sery and M!'a, Net:tls wo1,lts eveey da.y,

Ji.t prenent tho f.runily is along. rln.tch bette1' than when he

Wllt:i With tha:1·1 in his p:r·aaent s·hnte·. Of n'lind. lllld henl1~1h

GI GMIFI c1~uT PACT ORD IN THE .'PHOBIJi!M SITUATION

A. Social tea ladjustnm~t

l. 01,.ieis

M1;t. '.Neala• tubel."culnr · cond:l tion orea tad such a deg1.,ee of. 1nsi;tib:tl3:t;y i;l~-it he lett t

2. Conflic1;s

Mrs. Meals l1ad a g:reat fe~r of tuberculosis

nnd she ind,.onted th:ts conatalttly to liev l1us-

bnnd. • He could not uncle~stnnd why the J.•<.unain•

der of the rumily could 1iot use the mime dishes

nnd cups 1 and as a 21aau.lt he was p1"/jovoked at the sanitary moves. Mr. Uei.i.la resented his ,

w:t.fafa at·hi tucJ.e tvwai~d his ailment.· From time

to time, ha was nio1•e than provoked when he bad

122

3 • F&uily trs.tU.. ti onn

We know little of ~•llG family llis tory t ul though

pr1m.~ ·to tho. n.1~r:t '\1tal or the tub011cul.os1a ~ the

home hnd spperi1~ed to hn,10 been pel'lfeci;ly moti•

vated and t\djuated •.

13. Person.al unsdjustment and diaorganizntion

i·. Illi'1.Gr oonflicta

Mr. Neal had a des:t:Pe tc• go west, following

the tlld t:r'1di tion thnt all tul1En'llculosia 'Pa-

2. Mente..l i.nstzi~bility

In most co.sea or nc.lviince<.l tubol:'cUloaia' there

tt1•e pe:r?iod.s of fllgh.t1ness and moods, wh:tch

ni:l.ght well he olnaa:lf'1ed as ti montal d1aoi"<iar.

Gillis 37 Mellie 36

Ethel 12 Ellen 5

INTRODUCTIOU

Mr. Bitoi .. deserted his family the enr11er pnrt

of' the ap:;;•ing • Up i;o th~) dv.y of the desal?t1on, he lmd

been appa:rontly natisfiecl, ultho\lgh at times, both ho and

his vdfe had q1uu~reled conaidernbly ~ Ml"• Biter• s odditi~)s

and ecoentricitios were the talk of tlle neighbovhood •.

Previous to let\Vi11g, Lil"• B1teti had taken all his olotbes, supposedly to the laundry where he worked, . on the. p1 .. ete11se· · or having them cleaned and pressed. Whe Sunday lw .left, he took his wife to her mother•s, wb1le he worked over• time. He was helping to move the laundry to snotherlo•

. '

cation. VJhen Mr .• Biter failed to call to~ Mrs. Biter,. uhe x•eturned to their house, where .she found that nothing·

ho owned vms left, fol" he had taken all. llis possessions. His dilapidated Ford toUl"'ing on:r ~ilso was gone. STUDY OF' Tim .BACKGROUND

M1" ~· Bi te:r \Vas alvm.ys · retioe.nt about bis past lire. He simply would not discuss it• He was born on a

tnrm nnd spent the earlier years ot h1E.l life .in Texas• .

He bore, through his accent and cboioe of wo1"da in con• val'sation, the un:rl<s of a aouther11ett. When Vlith many of

the various nlS.le mambex-a ot Mrs. Bttevts fwnily, he would

often 21Sfa:tt to nwild" times he hn.d spent in the pust, and

would nlwnya relate obscene jokes, wh1ob. he llad acquired on oortnin "thrillingtt experience.

tb"S • B1 te1-- was born in Sp1'*ing Valley, Mlsaou.r1,. where she lived in her girlhood, attending school thexae. Her parents were poor1 and at an early age, abe went to work in the neighborhood. She persisted..:Ln WO:t'ldng, help" her family from time to time. At a fairly ea.~ly age, she

124

married Mr. Pitt, v1ho tl"entod hexa cruelly, e.nd railed to SUppO~~ her_. Two .child1.,en Wet'e born • one boy and one

gi1"l. ~·by tlrl..a Lial'r~age • Afte~ six years of cruel t7 and non•euppor-t ,. sbe. di vox-c~ him. The court g1,nnted M:tt •

Pttts the custody or the bay and her that or the girl. The boy, who is ten. yen~s of age, hns not attended school, and is growing.up in utter ignorance. In 19151 Mrs. Ditar came to Kansas city to work because it was difficult at Spring Valley to obtain employment. She found plentJ' ot wopk at the vn1"ioua la.und~ies here, where she mannged to ear~ a veey good liVing. While she worked her little

g:l.1-.1 stayed ~vi th relatives in the, c1 ty. Fol:' three yenl1a

this existence continued, until she met Mr. Bite~ in 1918. HOME A~~D NE!GlmORHOOD COlIDITIOUS .

Shortly f ~llovd.ng their mul'1•1age, the Biters

lived 1n flll'nished ro~ms down town, clos·e to the laundries. In. the cou~se of two years they 1novetl en.at to the 1ndus-tv1al ~strict, where Ltpo B1te:r- woi"'ked in different laun-

.,.. ~

dries. Since they. left the dist:vict or room1p.g houses, .~.t became more 01~ lass necesaacy to obtain fw:anj.tu:ra, which ~~1ey did, buying. some on the payment plan and some roxa cnah. In the district in \vhiol-l they continued to live until the . . ~ '

present, the mo1"als are none too goocl • it hnn been nec-esaacy for them to move. from one house to another for l~:r.

Bi te:r v1o~ld not pa~ his rent l.'legula:rly. Considerable marital difficulty is found in this district.

125

SCHOOL AMD WOHK

We have no definite knowledge of r~ir. Bito~ts

schooling. Howeve:r he did read the papers regularly and

generally mnintains. a "radical'* IJOS1t1on in politics·,

H1s work record is odd. As a workman be 1s excellent,

being able to inannge a lnundx-y wellJ but he neve1'* stays

for more than a. few mo11ths tvi th one company, p"eferl1'1ng

always to· be on tho ·move. To his· fa.n11ly • he ?-"epresents

an 1magimu-.y grievance a.a ~lia reason r.or changing 3obs, ' '

He does not quurrel, no~ expresa d1aaat1a.ract1on \vi.th

his employers, but alwo.ys states tl~nt .. he has a be_tter

job in view. They always regttet his go1ng_. ln rea11t1'

his aalnry does not vaey more than a dollar or two each

week on any job that ha htis held since 1910.

Mrs. Bitexa attended :3obool unt:Ll she vino

twelve, reaching the sixth grade. .She always enjoyed school and now reads the daily papers regularly.. She and

her husband would draw b~oks from the public library and ·

read them. Mrs. Biter has a steady work reco~dJ she wae

with one lo.undry for three years pl'iOl' to he:r maxiriage ·•

DBLIHQ,UEWCIES

There a1"'e none known, nltllougll ~t is bel1e~ed

by those ·who associated with ull."•· Biter, that he had a

crimi~l record, fo11 he always feared the police and con•

tinually berated them.

126

COI~t.FAMIOUS

Mr. Biter hn-s .none. Ha· was fxaiendly to his

fellow workers and tu1sociated with his n1n-laws". At

work. he seemed mo1~e interested in the gi11l workers than

in the· men. ·In the evening be d1c.l not chnt with the ..

neighbo~s· as is the custom, but prefei~red to stay at

llome by llimselt. M1"s. Bi tel" was active in church work, being

veey intimate·• aild sociable w1 th several of the batter v10-

men ·1n the churcif• Appal"ently she is liked for she

"neighbors" and visits ~ houses each day.

IUTER.BSTS AND HABITS

?l?J. B1te1• was alwn1a 1ntexaested in his wife,

althot1gh he never cared fort the children, deap1ta the fnct

t~t .the younger one waa his. lie enjoyed SU1'pr1z1ng Mro.

Biter l>Y b:r-1ng home l_1ttle gifts. aJ?d articles that aha

needed around the home to show his apprecintion.of he~.

He was also 1nte1~sted in Socialism nnd Unions. Where•

ever he h~d an Qpportuntty to discuss politics. he did.

Ha swore pl.'o.tusely, and was extren1ely .fond of telling ·

obscene jokes, and creating witty VUlgar1t1es. His per-

son was 1mma._cule.tely clean, being well ahnven, and ma.king

a striking appearance. At nigh'f:;s he would come home

early.and spend.the evening reading, talking, nnd amok•

ing. Often the ch1ld~en would annoy him, and if ha wns

12'1

reading, .. ha expected eveeybody else to· read,. and it he··.

was tnlking,.: he expected evaryhody to 'talk•· It was n par-t

or his natW:'a to be der~nd1ng and ruling in the household.

M1n3.· B1te1' keeps the house cl·ean. She appears

well,· nnd keeps herself and the qbildren clean nnd health,- •. ·

liar· church i11te1~asts llei-a deeply,. and only this sp:t1ing, ..

Mr. D1te1, joined· it, te1--n1ing the :ventur~ a ttpolitioe.l moven.

Through the "lnd1es e.id tt, she manages. to get t'ec1"9ation

nnd n ce1 ... tnin type of poor club life.- ·She . tellches a Sun•

dny School alnss at the church.

The rrun1ly nevev took a. g:t'ent deal of .reo1 .. ea-

tion togetho~, except the church as11vices and ocoasione.l ·

pavties and picnics w1 th her- relatives on hol1dnys •. IIIDIVIDUALIZATIOU

Mr •. Bitexa is a tall man of light complexion:. At times he can be very pleasant, and agreeable, but ·at other times, he ·hatJ a. very bad tempe1"• and displays aulley'

and spiteful rnooda. l!l". niter nevexi .l:'eaohes a steady

poise, either being ldnc.1 and good~ or being l'Ude and .

vicious. While he was ra1'*ely violent,, be often a.ppeared

vicious, and would threaten many weird and fancifully

cruel things,. one minute, he v.mnted to go to a show.

t'lhen the family hud p:repa.1.,ed to go, ho Vlanted to stay

at home. In sexual life, ha was most passionate1 although·

he and his wife we1~e for the most part vexay compatible.

Mrs. B1 ter is t•n thel" unkept loolting, f o:r she

128

is fat and heavy. lier lc~1.,ga grey oyas give .ho~ childish

faee a winsome appeal, although ba:r voice 1s 11wlliney",

much ns one who has been babied, 011 .one who reela so~ry

tor herself too.much. Her attitudes town.rd life gener-

ally ,are frd.~. In physical heft.1th, she ia poov, for she

has· high blood pveasure, and her arms n1 .. a paralyzed so

badly that she can only do light work. During he~ lnst

delivery, she ·had convulsions, e.nd her ams we1'e thro\m

up above her head. t4r. Biter' jerkod.· them down tearing

. all the l1giments loose, and ·bxaeo.king several of' the

n1-.:m ne:rves of the sympathetic system. .Mrs. Biter is

very even tempel:'ed even to the point or being a little

careless.

THE STOHY OF Tm; FAMIT.N

In' 1910, dtU'ing a strike a·t the Bt1tler ln'llll.•

dr"J, they mat. Immediately Ul'l. Biter vm.s vo17 taken with

his future Wife, in fa.ct· he fa.11.,ly worshipped her. From

time to t~me, he ui"ged hel" to 111ur1"y him, ror he could not

bear to see her alone and not to have anyon.e help her

fight ll.6F battles. At the end 01~ six waelts, they were

married# and she felt that she was going to have n truly

lovel7 home and give her little g1rl a chance to be edu-

cated. He then passed as an O&phan with no living l"'ela-

tives.

9:hey first lived in a rooming house, while-

J.29

Ml". Biter wol'ked. in one laundry and then· anQ.the~. · ne· always kept his wi.fe well supplied \Vi.th clothing, but;

\'1ould not provide fo11 the little gi:rl, and always has

been willing that the children should not. have de~ent ..

things to woar *

The houuehold f'insn~as were eont1'*olled b:r Mr. Di tar and hi a v-11te knew nothing about tllei:P standing•

He did all the buying and pa.1d all: the bills• . She 1Ulder-

otood that lle l'aoe1 ved. El.bout t~renty dollO.t"a a weelt, · and

d1(l not lmow, unt1l aftel" his depa.1".'ture 1 that he Vt1ls

making nbout thi1 .. ty dollars ea.oh week. . Sha nevel" men-

tioned household rnunagement to llim1 f~o~ he became pi~o­

voked. In most of fwniliaa of this class, the husband

ttu•na the check or the cash over to the wife.

All during their mo.rx-ied life, .Mr. Biter

would beat his rent by moving eveey few rnontha. Mr. Biter always spent hie leisure time at home, nnd appea~ed

interested in nothing but his home, although t!ra" Biter

knew or seve1"al times when he wne intimate with other v10•

men. A few weeks. before he left, he told a, neighbor wo•

man, who has a large family, that. he waa going to leave

nnd that she was, of all the women in Kansas City his

first choice. It is evident that she did not· accept his

proposal for she 1a still living with her husband.

Through theiit married life, he was eonstantl.1 with other women at the shops 1 ,although he never was

130

known to have made "dates1' outside with them. His tormor

emplt,yet'' believea tllat he left with nnothel:' forev1ome.n of

the lattndry to go wast and esto.blish with her a laundry

of theiJ:J own. 'l'llis womrm left at the snme time·. She

and .14r. Biter rie1.,e interested in enoh other. Betvteen

them,. they knm:r all ·the d.epa.rtments of tbe laundry. This

woman ts relatives do not lmow of her whereabouts• Fott

seve1,al months he had ba·an inte:rested in looking thl"OUgh

the laundry guides locating several snm.ll laund11ies. It

is also believed that he bad saved a considerable amount

of' money. Mrs. B1te~•s relatives never hnve liked him,

.. '

and from time to time have ~Ado it most uncomfortable for

him. His mother-1n•law llnd a few thouannd dollars, nnd

he became a.ngPy w1 th her becatrna she would. not allow

him to 1nveat 1t for her.

· The Family Welfare Sooiety 1a helping liirs.

Biter and the children, howev.er no definite plan baa

been tr~de.

SIGMIFIOAMT FACTORS IM 'i:IiE PROB!,B~1 SITUATIOU

A. Soo1al maladjustment

l. Cl"ia1s

~his dese1--t1on was well planned, and there

does not seem to have been an actunl b~eak

be1~ween the husband o.nd tho wire. Ml'• Biter

131

likely left because of the call of the other.

woman, and the opportunity.to engage in earn-

ing mora money.

2. Conflicts

over the habits of evading reapona1b1l1ty, such ns. the i-tent1 the children and theill clothing. · v;e do not know what the causes

Q:f these· are. ()Vera the. bothe1.,~1ome habits

or the child1"en~~ .• • fl;.

Over the "in•ln.w:J n• because .. they v1ould not · humo~ him n11d his mother~:tn•lnw.would not,

. . tI'uat him with her money to 1.nvaa:t•

3. Absence or wholesome f am:l.ly t:rnd1 tionn and

attitudes, due tOJ ·. ,., ..

we lmov1· nothing of tha past lit'e of Ml"~

Biter, excepting i~ ''as ·"wild", and. the.t

his h1m101,. rnn along obscene linea.

4. Eco11orn10 o~ganiza'bion

Mr.- Bite1-.ts wo11k in the lnund.1'7 was so uni•

form thnt he could go to any part of the

country nnd find vendy ttork.

B. Personal u.~ndjustme11t and diaorganizat1on

1. Inna~ eonfl1cts . .

lll--. Biter had a desi~e fop new expei1ience :

which he displayed ofte~ in his inte~est tor othax- women nnd 111s often cl-ianging jobs.

2. Perscmal hi1.bits tl1at repel

l/Ira • Biter ts hnbi t of wh1n111g

Mrs. Bite,.,.ts poo~ health

3. Mental instability

While his work record 1s good, he is likely

emotionally unstable. He has an over developed

conneption of ldmself', nnd gives this more

consideration than he should. His pe11verted

sex.motions indicate mentnl laxities, and

poor env1.ronmental tra1n1ng. Apparently too, he lnakocl a 11eal1zation or l"ight and w:rong.

Unfort'UllAtely we know not'.hing or tho early histol"Y

of .Mr. Biter, so that who.tever conclusions that vie

rrAy draw cnn only ba hypothetical; however we do

knO\V this, tho.t many of the tendencies he indicated

a.re com..t?lon vri th othe:r deae~t1on problems or which

we llt:1ve located some explanation, and 1 .. :roin that

stt1.ndpoint,, we lwve a c.ommonali ty of result.

CaSJe Stuc1y /}12.

ta'Wl:.*enoe Ruth Billy IJoriane Leeann

INTHODUOTION

THE PACE FAMILY .

? 21

4 2 4 months

·mr •. Pace left his wife and child1"en after sev-

133

eFa,. months ot queer actions. He would suggest to his

\vife that he had done her an "awful dirty trick"• nlso, would mention that 'he wondeJ:ted what she \vould do if he

left her, but always he would pass these suggestions off

aa a jolce. About a yea~ ago, they bed qu~x-reled con•

atnntly, yet in the peu1t few mon~hs they. hnd moat genial

nttitudes tow:~rd each other, and ~he past suggestions of'

sepnration, seerned to hove vanished. Af~el1' getting most of' his clothes away from·the house, he ra11edto.retwn.

Since the desertion- her mot11e1' ha.s 1>ee~ w1 tl~ he1-., help•

1ng her adjust herself.

STtIDY OF THE 13.t\CKGROUHD

lA'l'• Puce was 1;>01-n ~·md l"enred in the vioinitf

ot• Alpine, Te1massee. Itis .folks are of the tr-ue moun•

taineer type. ·In his ea1~J.y childhood, he was at home a

great deal. During the past wa·r, he was in service, but

was not sent overseas, being stationed at Fort Leaven-

worth. His pa1~ents, af'tel:' hi.a mar1'ie.ge, did not e.ppJ:tove

or Mrs. Pace, because aha was nd1 .. esf;Jed up all the_ t1n1ett.

When his mother was interviewed in regard,to his deser-tion, she at first denied any knowledge of his domes-

tic difficulty, but .lnte1'\ admitted that she knew thnt.

they had~ in the·pnat, n~ny: temporary separations.

Mrs. Pnoe wo.s bo1,.n in s. small town in Mis•

sour1. Afteza he1~ rather and mother had been married

twenty years, he deserted and left the cs.1'e ·of theil' .

134.

eigl-.t children to. h1s \Vife. It was difficult for her

mothe~ to make a living and with the prospects of more

work in Kansas City• she moved he~ fnmily here. All tho

. child1,en. were forced to go to wo:rk early, nnd Mrs Pnce,

as a result, has be.d very little .. real childhood. Her

. reason fol" this early inarPiage was to escape the drudgery

of having to wo:rk and help suppo1"t the family.

· HOME JiUD Nf~IGIIDOHHOOD CONDITIONS

The family has been living in n lowe~ section

or Kansas City, 1n l1ented houses, although they owned

thei~ furniture •. The house is kept in good orde1'*, o.lthough

the neighborhood, in general, is inclined to nooept dirty

and untidy homes as the stnndn.rd •

. SCHOOL J\MD WORK

Both Mr-. and M1~s • Pace ba ve had veey 11 t t la

ro1'tll10.l ecluca.tion, ench having to work o.t nn enrly age in

order to help maintain their po.1"entst homes• J&r. Pace

has an excellent v10]."lk l'*oco1--d, al though he nave:r holds ll

job fo1 ... more the.11 a year at a time. At the last place

he worked• which was with the St:t'eet Railways as n snf'ety-

zone painte1,,, he made twenty-seven to thi11ty dollars a

week. All during his employment he1"e, he has given his

wife the impression thr.t t he was drawing much. less.

~here are none h-nO\vn. Mr. Pace's military

135

reoc~d is clear of nny barrack discipline.

COMPANIONS

In the fll.'*my, Mr. Pace was a fnvo1•ite fAmO?lS the

olde:ra officers and the men. At the shop,. he mad~· tv1encls

w1 th other vtorkers. We do not l~now that had ney ill1c1 t

rele.t1onships with otho1~ worrten, nlthough1 . that is strongly

suspected as one ·Of the factors t~at ente~ into thia sit•

uat1on.

Mrs. Pace does not associate with her ii.eighbors

at all, although she 1s 1ntirmzlte witl1 he1-. r<~lntives- and

tha11 e Eu·o a number or women, who· live 111 a l"espectable pa:rt

or the city, with whom she doas visit bnck and forth.

INTEHESTS AND H.t'\BITS

ItI1 ... Pace smoked considerably, but has not been

known, since his llIDI'riage, to c:lrink, although, while in.

tho Ul1my he was a heavy toper. Ho used profanity to an

excess.·

He · .. -;as not interested in the curt•ant ne\1s,

but he was interested in cloth111g, , 11i11gs and jeweley, al•

we.ya wanting to appea1~ \"vell .. ~ Ml'. Pace did appea.1-. inter ..

ested in his painting work, always took pains to do t~e,

beat possible wol."k. At Fort Leavenworth, he prided him ..

aelr upon his accomplishments, for it appears that he

always haa been thorough in his work.

ltirs. Pace is inte:rested in her home, children,

136

and he~ husband. She would take him back. to his old plnco

. in the home without atty questions as to where he has boen.

Since theil\ marriage# Ml's. Pace has acquired the hub1t of

swearing prorusely, using obscene language, nnd rnnldng

.vulgar comrnents up~n the little happenings nbout the home.

At times# she has been peevish.and il"rito.ble, however this

is likely d.Ue to her youthfUlnass and the numba:t' or chil•

dren that she· he.s • Rel" ea1-.1y life wua mostly work, and

she never has ~d to any degree an.opportunity to become

interested :1.n ~ecrant1ou.· She is• though,. ef1'1c1ont in

the management o:r the1 r home• While M11 • Pnce was inclined

to extravagant and recklessness in his expenditures or money, she was regulo.x1 1 mode1"nta and temperate, which

probably, in his caae, reflects hia army life, o.ncl in

hers, the frugality thtit she had to p1"'actiae in he1• ern"lY

youth. INDIVIDUALIZATION

M~. Pace was a confidenae insp1~ing person.

1'~que11tly, his o:tt1tude was that 01 .. a c:n•oless, cnrefl:'ee

indivirlue.l, who wanted to apenc.l h1t1 money freely 1 having

a good ·time while :Lt la;~ted~ and not \1or11Yi11g nbout any

respo.nsibil'ity that he nw.y have.

r~t1'1s. Pace 1s a small, almoat childl1ka c1 .. ea-

ture, in appearnnoo. She we.a OI'UShod nnd broken by the

whola episode. A bad thyroid gland condition, whe~ein

the secretion of this ductless gland was poo1' likely was

137

the .,ause of her. ir•ritability. Her disinterest ·1n her

sex life, despite her youthfulness; agg:ravated the cond1t1.on.

THE STORY OF THE FAMILY

Mr. and Mrs. ?a.cg met in the .smnme~ of 1919

e.t Leavemvorth. Her sister, with whom she wea then living

in Kansas City• vms rrui1~r1ed to .o. soldiel" at the fort, and

the two p;il•ls wel:'le up there visiting this sisterts hus•

bnnd. 1'he husband 1ntx\oduced Mr • .Pace ns one of ll1s fl'iends.

:£t'tor the first two days togethe1 .. , they hs.'ld a splendid time.

Then Mrs, Pace had to come back to Kansas ,City to v1ork.

Here she was employed by the Western Union •. In a short

tj.me; Ilfr .. Pace was trnnsfe1 .. lied to Fort Snelling. Fov the·

f'ollov1ing two n1onths, · they wrote every day. Then the

mnrriage .came.

Ini11ecliAtely after their mattriage,, fi'Ir. Pe..ce .

went by hinrnelf down to see his folks in the mountains •.

!J1--s. Pace remained in Knnsna City, coittinuing he1., WOl'lk

with the wastei-n Union. On hio retnm they went. to Foi~t

Snelling, where they lived a yea.I'. Shortly fl.fter the

rnar1~iage, she bect\me pregnant, &nd as a result they did

not nttend nnny of the social runctions at the fort, al•

though her husband was eager to •.

~1he f ollow1ng year they returned to Knnsas . · ·

City, where Mr. Pace secured wo~k with the Knnsas City

Power and Light Company a.n n laborer# lie did not.like the

work, and sho11tl7 found work with another company • l t was

138

. here that he lea1 .. ned to paint·, nnd soon became ef£1c1ent

· in the trade.

Al\\-ays dul'ing their marriage. Mr. Pace made

ample wuges, but he always wanted to spend it on many of

t11e non-essentials, which Mrs. Pace did not approve.

If, we umy judee from Mr. Pace's notions nnd

his conversation,. it would appea.1" tha.t he conternpleted

this action for some time. VJJ.1ile Mrs. Pace believes an-

other woman caused. this t1"ouble, she is not ce1--ta.in. Mr.

Pace rarely stayed away from home .nt night, nnd most or the time· the :rrunily spent holidays togethGl". COl"l1espond-

ence with Fort Snelling and Leavenworth do 21ot indicClte

that he ever wns inte1"ester:1 in. women while he we.a stationed

at these posts.

SIGl~IFIC.f:.lrr I'1AC1:CORS IU THE PROB!,,.'Ii;r.l SITUAi'IOn

A. Social maladjustment

l.. Crisis

There is apparently no single episode which

precipitated this des~rtion. , Mr ... Pace probnbly

planned it long ~head_ and waited until he found

. a good opportunity to lea-i1e •. It is likely that

he saved money, bee~use he deceived hia wii'o as

· to his earnings •

2. Conflicts

There were divergent attitudes townrd the use

of money. Ltr. Pace had easy going habits of

139

spending. while hia 1ll1fe \V&s tlu'-ifty •

Thora v1ere divergent ntt.itudes tovmrd. the sex

problem.. Mr. Pnce had a strong feeling. \lhich

is lilcely responsible for the rapid su.c,cession

of children. Mrs. _Pace was not passionate.

3. Absence of family values

ltr. Pacets-ea.1,.ly life in the mountains v11th

these simple folk should have inculcated sta-. ·.

bili ty; however lntez. ·army expe:rience probably

stimulated attitudes or ca1,..efreaneaa and i1ew

experiences which offset early training.

B. Porsonal unadjustment nnd disorganizntion

l. Inner conflicts

Due to his feeling: of responsibility to his .

family and his d.esire to.be free of any respon•

sibility •.

C. Other f'actora of possil:>le importanee

l. The extreme youthi'ulnesa .of' Mrs. Pace ..

2. Mrs. Pacets lack of any childhood.

SUMirtARY.DISGUSSION

A. Social Itialndjustment

l. The crisis

.;.:;

Too many times the immediate c.1iisis which pre•

c1p1tatcd the desertion is given as the cause. In the

Fiske .family, "another woman'' could easily be desc1~1bed

140

as the .cause, if v1e .1.--new no other history.. Likewise, the ~ .

obvious· reason .for Mi~,. Smith leaving his wife is nnotheI'

woman~ Mr. Goodman usually would leave as the result of

a quarrel~ To say then,. t~.1~ qu•.rl"el is the cause is ·~

nothing short or :rid!eulo~s, fo~ many another couple has

weathered n family qu.rrel and without a desertion being

p1 .. ecipitated.. Many other nnverage" families are con-

f1-tonted v11th marital infidelity* but they manage tho Cl'i•

sis;, and. the max-1 ta.l bo11d nppeai--a atronge:r than ever.

Again, in .the 01-iamer Reco1.,d.1 the obvious cause is Ml'.

Gramerts failure to support. Here agnin, why didn·•t he?

\ifliy, didn• t Mrs• 01-.amer tolerate this w~alcness or his y

Maey·othe:v ave~age frunilies get along together working out

non-.support problems•

Mr• Kl'ess left his ram1l~ because of contin-

. ual dis.c0rd·, which so fa:r as causation is co~cei'ned, is . .

only a. vague generalization. To stop _·sho1,t nnd say dis-

cord is the cause_ indicates. ·a failul"e to push buck into

underlying mot1.vesj e.ttit~es, ha.bit patterns,. and gen-

eral family traditions. Ml's. Ittinke suffered personality

disorders·. · Ap.ps.rently again, here is the seat of the

trouble. H~Neven, ·1n other families, pe:rsonality troub~

les have not broken down the family life. Mr. Foss was

a· sex pervert. This appears 1n itself as a stimulus to

desertion, yet if v1e accept Forel ( l) and Freud (2)• we

mny expect to see perversions in the ave1,~lge home; which

sustains its shell .. ·

Thutl, with· Hll the problem situations, v1~i mnst

bewazte or attaching too much impo1"tance to immediate dir-

i'iculty. for no matte1• What the CX'isis, one can find Other

average individuals living together v1ith' s6mE) of the same

problems•. Vle need then to know what ex.peFiences ·in the .

h1sto1'y of the 1nc1iv1duals,. have created ·the nttitudes

and the values, thnt makes. their behe.vio~ take.th,e line

of nct1on that it does. Generally then, 'in our records.,

to v1orlc:. ro111 understanding and intelligent comp111ehension,

we need to push back into the extreme.early. history-of

tho contending personalities•

2. The conflicts

Immediatefy be.ck. or the crisis, there are the .

conflicts which are. social in na.tu1'e• Two ~raons may ..

. · .. 142

everlnstingly fight over the trifling issues that arise (3).

The desertion crisis appears to arise out of .the conflicts -

and in part it does. The social conflicts then represent

a pushing back e. 11 ttla farthe1., into the r·acto~s contrib.-

uting to the b~eak.

In the Pace family the contliets are fe.1~17

------------------------------------------------~-----(1) (2) (3)

The . Se!.lnll Question ·_ . An lntr&tuct!on to Psychoanalysis Vnn ~~aters.- fouth in .soiil1 iictf.:.·PP~- 63 ... 87.

simple. Mr. Pace was a free speuder. His wife was ocon-

omicnl. First 1mpJ?esSi?ns of Mr • .Pnce•s buck histo1'Y

would lead one to expect thnt he would be econom1ce.l in

money ma.tte~s> for he ,was born nnd i•e.ised in tha ~ennesaee

mountains, where frtlgality is the law or life. However,,

while ~ounta.ineers nra frUhf1ll, they sometimes are a little

ea:r"efree and careless. A 11t;tle more of his e:itperionces

, indicate several years spent in military service. The

values of a1"'lny life a1"e us:ually marked by cnrelessneaa

and carefree spending. A~ sn early age. Mrs. Pace hnd

known pove1"ty. Hert moyhe'1" made only n meagre sum. While

a small gi1-.1. she hnd to work-. All her ndolescence, she

worked, .saved and assmned nn unusual nrnount or fa1111ly ~­

apons:tbility. To her economy in money matters was habit-

ual. She knew notldng else f:rom youth up. She hnd no

,regular childhood. The pushing back beyond the immedinte

crisis into the conflicts has revealed two significant

elements: first, a more or1 less evident mismating; and

secondly, two .social ills, her broken horae, and the bad

traditions and habits that a1-wy life may carry with 1 t.

Mr. nnd Mrs. fe.ce had dive1~gent ideas of sex.

1111e former was fond of .sex indulgence. wh1le the latter

did not care fo~ it so lnuch- ~o locate the sent of this

desire in 14r. Pace, with the info1":nntion on hand, is im-

possible. Mra .. Pnce, on the othe1"' hand, wes only twenty-

ona, and wtas already the mother 0£ three children. which

143

accounts likely for the diminishing of.her sex. impulse.

Mr. Pace was likely only e.vel'age. If we we1~ hazat~ing

a guoss at I'emedial measures for such Q eontliet, more adequate birth control information.- so as to px-event f'l~­

quent conceptions• a.nd thus p1 .. eae1 .. ving ·the· physical health

of tho woronn, would seem. the logi~al ans'War. ~~. .

The Biter family suggests a ntmtber o~ . eontli ets •

Mr. Bitel' enjoyed evading responsibility. as sho\i11 by his

failu1"e to pay rent., clothe the· child1"ten, et cetera. Mrs.

Biter did not appt•ove ·or tl1ese. ~he;r also . claahea. over

her people, because 1h11s. Biter's mother. would not h:UtUOJ:J

him. Unf'ortuno.tely. we k11ow nothing of their early.li.fa, ·

nnd therefore we cannot point to any real or s.clequate .rea-· aona ror the i,iae of' these attitudes .•

In the Fiske family• · there 1a an inte.v~sting

conflict, along with several others. It is felt that M:rs.

Fiske was oversexed,. and that to :receive sexual eat1stac.;.

tion, com1iderable stimulation was necessary. ·On the othe:r

hnnd• her husband apparently 1-teceived hi~ sutisf.act1on with

little 01~ no effort. For him to attempt to satisfy his _ . .

wife wna likely som.ewhnt of a task• ·Thisdivergent·ten•·

dency is more 01, less due to natural endo\"mlents •. This ·con- ·

tlict along w1 th such conflicts as· t~ th~ desire for re-

sponse, in· the rorm of' petting, tvhich they both sought.

liltely caused trouble. Pushing be.ck, we not;e that both

of them spent rather unpleasant childhoods. ·While these

144

conflicts are not the sole enuDes, they indicate the impor-

tance that friction hns·in marital difficulties.

In ·a.11 the-: :rnmilies exmnined~ we have .found

several major elements or their 11 ves tho. t were exp1 .. essed

in opposing tendencies. While these tendencies tell a ' ~ . . '

large stoey, they are by no means final. For treatment

and preventive ends, we must lmow on vihat these tendencies

are based_, and then how to remove them. There can be no

doubt. lloweve:r, that when we find how.one life's habits

and behavior hnve been so shaped as to create h1s tenden-

cies, .we will be in a better position to shape hie future

conduct.

3. Absence of wholesome traditions of family lifo.

The social conflicts that we see are largely

indications of' certain early experiences, ce1~ta1n reflections

of ~he connnun1ty in which the parties lived, or the expres-

sions of their primacy g1"'oups, which he.d established cel'tain

values~ that were forced upon all those that lived w1tli1n its sphere. Many of the people that we have examined have

no real conception of the meaning of family life at o.11.

· Take· the Goodman ~amily ror instance,; they lived- and they

were reared 1n a community v1here :10X looseness is really . '

an accepted value. The girl that has a child out or wed-

lock is not cast out of the group. ·In the event or he~

marriage, there is nothing even thought of tho incident.

Sexual infidelity$ after marriage. is not strongly observed.

145

·Each of the Goodman ta came f'l'om bl"Oken homes$ and saw theiv

idols, their pa1-aents. indulge in loose aex relations,. ·The

low wages 1n Hewlett made it absolutely ianposs1ble for

the member-s of the families to live 1n anything but crowded.,

badly \rentilnted houses, where there would ·be no privacy

fol' the respective members. Vl:tth these eleL1ents~ e.s a

~t good rt background, little mOl'J.0 can be e.itpected ot tlie Goodman• s than that \17h1ch has t:t"anspi:red. We too often punish and blame individuals for the sins ot their commun•

ity, as the Goodman's hnve been blamed.

In the Smith t•acord• ve1~ interesti1lg values and attitudes ai.,e b1 .. ought .to the surface. ltir. Smithts

father inculcated in him the elem.ants Of the Cha--iatian

teaching ns to family velationsb1ps. In the same house,:

only a few yen~s late~, his step-lnother treated him cru-

elly and contrary to s.ll the teachings of h:ts father.

And.on top of the treatment, his father tolerated it.

Such n contrast between his father's en:t""lie1~ ancl lnte~ ·

. ~. .. ~

ntt1tudea could do nothing shoPt of ·creating· an emotional

disturbs.nee, which would tend to create an unwholesome

.attitude• or even negative outlook on 1r1hnt a family ought

to be. Later. his relationa with prostitutes imposed upon

him a number of unhealthy attitudes and habits, .which \Vere

not conducive to good judgments on family ma.tte~s. If

when, he went .into the underworld, hnd s.ny. so1~t or an ideal

of family lire~ he Pl"Oceeded to lose i~. and he evolved,

.·through his frien.cls, a 1norbid plrl.losopliy or masculine re-

lationship toward the woman.

The O:tlame:tt family present interesting expres-

s ions of attitudes.. Mr. c1-.ame~ lo1ew no rasponsibil!ty 1n

early life. As he grew older, tlrl.s hnbit continued. When

· l1e !na1~:ried this trait continued. Now. his wife hnd alwnys

been ~eared 1n $ home whe~e self support was stressed,

this being the aole demand she made o.f 11er husbands, nnd

t1ould promptly ·divorce them, if they fell nhoi~t or th1o

· .. requirement.

Nai thel' Mr. o~ itrs. crame1~ has usunl at t1 tud es

· · tov1a~ds the .general· values of mnri tal life. With these

facts in .1nind, 1 t :ts natural that conflic·ts should have

arisen~ v<1llich would lntel:' proc1p1 ta.te the bx•each. Vlhile

·.·these ailments a!'e not the, whole casual s1 tuat1on, yet

they nevertheless~ represent an important factor.

In the Kress family~ Mrs. Kress's enrly lite

indicated tbe same elements that she displayed in hel" own

ho~.. As a eldld• alle was unruly and bossy. All family

experiences had to cente~ about her, else there was contu-

sion. Now in marriage, when her judgments a.re not sus-

tained~ !!he .ia c1~oss, and her huabnnd l:w.s imposed upon

him the brunt or he:r irritation.

Throughout all the records~ one can see clearly

the influences or the attitudes which these folk had pre-

viously developec;t toward the social values of mnrr1age.

147

4. Industrial disoi,.ganization

Just the exact value or the presellt economic

organization that permits o:r excessive mobility of m1gra•

tory workers and m~bile.nrmies of laborers is st:tll unde•

term1ned. ,It seems that it 1~ ha~dly possible to look

ror further stabil1zat1on6 nnd ~u~ Pr<?blem is l1kefy one

or adaptation to the existing conditions.

Undoubtedly tha desertion of ldr. Fiske ·is.

due in part to .the l'ailroad .work, which every few months

takes him v.~ the family to another· conmuni ty.. Mr. Smith•s

traveling kept him away, from home and likely.helped.him

associate with othe1" women. With li1r .• Goodrr!ln, insecurity

of wo1"k, his bei11g ln1d off much at the factory# mac1o. it

ensie1" tor him to have a x•eason to leave.·. Many ot. the

WlSkilled laborers leave their hornes. for a shor_t period

each year to go to the baiTVeat 1·1elcls.. This separation~

while very short,. 1f it ·1s l')opea.t;ed many yea.vs,. is. liable

to lead to some per'.nanent separation. With M~. Biter,

nnd all laundrymen, we have an inters.sting a.spect of in-

dustrial life. Mr. Biter is a skilled laundry employee.

The demand f Ol" laundx>ymen is so un1forr11 that tfu."oughout.

the nation~ he can go fJ?om place to place secu1,.ing a good

position, t~nd have n good income,. ~us he is ·undeJ:ii obl1•

gntion to stay in aey no place longer than he desires.

Tl...ius far,. we have commented upon the more so•.

cial aspects of marital adjustment. T11e1"'e does not seam

148

. to be any single cause 01• combinntions of co.uses ns the

reason for desertion. Howevel' we c1o lmow the.t in va:rious

-families there are diffe1-:.ent forces at play., which o.ppnr-

ently are destructive to family life in that situation,

for ns they hsve developed$ we have this p~oblem situation.

From this comes the suggestion of a c1ef1n1te treatment or family desertion. We must push back 1nto the history of

the ftL~1ly discovering the attitudes, ~nd their origins

and with this .. knowledge,. change .the individual ta and the

familytsb~havio:r, by the apparently simple, ·though really

di.fficult task of' changing the attitudea.

B .•. Pe1,sonal unadjustment -tuld. disorganizntion

l. Inner conflicts

We hnve·noted in the preceding pages thnt often

the social, .situation has not been favoruble to the develop ..

·.merit of the personality. It is not improbable that the

social surrou.11dings could so bear upon the inrlividunl so

as to produce conflicting wishes, nnd heuce disintegration

in the individual to theex~ont that he would become more

- or: less abno;r;ma.1, ,that is compared to the 0 average" group.

\'"Jhile these conflicts appear to be individual. in-that

they a.re confined to the pe1~on, yet nevertheless they

are the· result of the· social interaction, plus the nati,,.e

instincts Qnd omotions, or the inherited qualities.

~!It. Fiskets pex•aonal security was distracted

by· n desire f'or new ·experience• which· t":as coupled closely

149

with a desire fol'* recognition. lt ·1s a probable fact that

tlrl.3 element waa ln1;.gely stimulated in early youth by his

ex·tons1 ve "bumming" tour. But regardless of· its· cause, the constant conflict, the :restlessness, which it brought. v1hen 1 t came in conflict with the· duty he had to his ;dfe ·

produced the ove1 .. -cteveloped and distracted idea of .self.

His Yd.re, th1~ough ·the uae of finecy· displayed e. deai1"6 ·

for r~·cognition. The money that she ttsed on these things,

should likely httve been tisecl fo1~ ·the family •. These wishes

in most inrli viduals a.re norm.o.l; hov1ever it is 111hen. one

takes nn over exnggerrrted form,· that t7e have unlindted con-

flict, which assisted in the cres.t1on or ou1" problem sit•

uation.

The conflicts nnc1 wishes in t11e'. Goodman's. are

easily e;tpla1ned fora wo lmo\'l so \Vell their daily experi•

ences wei.,e conflicting. Security ·in the home in orde1~ to

have sex indulgence \\fas not necessary.· VUwn Mr .. Goodman ,

was away from home, sex interests would be easily be sat-

isfied. Added to this there \vus also the knov1ledge of his.

wife's infidelities. On the other hand, Jri1?s. Goodman we.a ~

in no wise limited to the home. If she desired good ·times#-

she was good looking, and the1"le we:re plenty of young men,

with whom she could associate. These conflicts, Ct?Upled

,.Ii th early experiences e .. nd inherently weak emotional

traits, could scarcely lead to anything but neurotic states

in the individuals. ·Their intellects ave good; howevel"

thei1-. interests nre so conflicting w-lthin themselves that

only confusion has resultod in their aasocinted conduct.

Mr. Sm:l.th•s. ea11 ly experience would develop

lltfbitual pursuits of naw expel"ience. IIe o.lso found re-

sponse in h1s .consortl which his wife failed to give. ·

Theaa elements i;endeu. · a.long with othet' .fn.ctoi?o to distoi-at

hie behavio:ra to such a degi"'ee thnt clisi11teg1'ntion of h1s ·

pe:r•r1onality natu11ally .followed, thus creutin3 mu11 ital

difficulties. ltra. Gum"d had a. s t1-.ong deaive for nov)l· axpol"i•

ence. Ne~ei-- can adequs. te trea. tment; of his p11oblom be g1 ven

· .until ·there is a substitution of those attitudes fo111 nov1

vrholesome ones •. 2. Pa1~sonnl hr:ibita that a1.,e likely to l"opcl.

Of ·the pei--aon.nl habits the.t repel, there is no

standard,. ·. Mrs. Srn.1 th is a httbi tunl nagger• We cannot alone

aolve this .problem, · unt:tl. wa know what s t~tmulus 111 ea1~1y

lira· ·P.1•ec1p1tated this habi·t. !Yil"~J. Gua1"'d in o.n extremely

bnd housekeeper. ·~his .element is the result of bncl methods

learned in h01, own moth.erts hou.seholcl. While we realize· tho

bad. err.acts of these traits, nevertheless,, too rauch impo:r-•

· ts nee should. not be g1 ven theµ~, fo1~ many a veriiga people

live together With these elements much in the to1"0 of their

lives. '1~1a tact the husband h~-la dif'ferent ic."i.oala sug~sto

dif.fe:rences· Of e~1l"lY exper10llCas • ' rrhua, we . aoe it io not

151

so much any definite hnbita, but tllat these l1ab1ta should

be manifest in certain combintttiona in tl1e married ·11re, that causes the dissensions, and the conflicts; that so often lend to aepa~ntion.

3. Mental subno1"me.11 ty

Mr.· Foss i~ of low grade me11tality. '?his

a.long w1 th his sexual pe1ivex-a1on hes been a. great hand1•

cnp. The pitiful situation lies not in ,the fact of his

subnormal1ty, but 111. the fact that 11.e· mi:.1.,ried n tuJman

or uveri1ga 1ntel:igen.ce. ·. The ditfe1'lenQe in heredity,

physical o.nd mental 1 and the early ·social tra11l111g is

clea1-.1y t~hown 1u this x1ecox'Cl. The ind.ust1~1a1 nge 1n

which M~. Poss lived only tended to e.ocentuat:e the difte~•

encea. 4. Mental diaordars.

Mrs. Finkot s highly developed forn1 ot menta.l

diaorc.ler, dementia pvaecox, le:ft her so distorted that

she could not carry on the uuual pursuits of life• This

element we.a discovered just os Mt•,, Finke was ta.bout to

aecure a divorce.

Many of the rt}corda that we hnve exmrdned

indicated sylj1ptoms of mental trouble. Fo~ instance man.11

or tho men, nnd women too, he.ve bad tempers, so they

could not cont1~01 themselves when they we11e confronted

by a problem that did not react ravornble to them. Then

agnin1 we ho.ve folk who .feel the wo1"ld goes a~ouncl them,

152

to the extent tha.t they are so egotistical, they :rail"ly

reek wl th abnorme.li ty. Such elements tend to accentuate·

the family discord.

In the ltea.ls family, the development of tuber-

culosis in the man created $. s1tunt1on whioll neither he ..

. nol1' his v-1:1fe knew how to meet. Tl1e strain was too much

fo~ such a personnlity a.a h1a. lt is further complionted

by tlle intervention of the social se~vice agencies, \'rho

would not pel:'lnit of unsanitary conditions in tho home.

Since M~ • Neale oould not unclerstand these ohm1ges, he

soon left home.

Thus, our case studies indicate clearly the

premise we 011iginally. suggested, that we need not only to

.know the deserte1 .. , but that we need to study the !'nn11ly

~nd the whole social setting, especially from n genetic

. standpoint.

Dr. Henly in an article on 11Tho Psychology or tbe Sitttationtt (1) sets forth nn interesting thesis on

.fundamentals for the unde?lsta.nd1ng and the t:vev.tment ot deliquenoy and 01 .. ime, which is apropos to our conclusions.

'l'o ll1m, "The si tmit1on is the pnrticulnr en•

v1ronment of the given member of society (the pe!'non or

tho aoc1olog1sts) cont~1dered togethett with him as acti,re

---·----·--·-----··----------------··------------------(1) Symposidum, The Child, the Clinic, nnd the Court,

PP• 37•52•

153

in it". (l) That 1a, we must always begin with the inter• wea.ving of the env1ronxnent and the individuals. Xn addi•

t1on to this• how the situation has rtltlde the mental lite of the indivS .. dual react a.s he did in tbe given insto.nce.

which Healy calls "the total aituationn. (2) out of this cornea not only the rnente.l life of th$- incl! vidual but also

the mental attitudes of the assoo1atea ·towa1•d tlle indi•

vidunl, and tllis is headed under the ns1tuatio11 in process" ... (3) And lastly, it is not 011ly necessary in the treatment or the 1ndi vitli.tlll to l{now how the enviror1ment nttectet1 him, but olso how ha affected the environment. nenlY, calls

I

this tho 0 c11"'cula.r ret.1ponse•'(4),. '.}:lhus it• seems to me* v11th

those ·points in ·mind . ., one really ht.ls a situation well de•

fined.

------------------------~----·------~------..-----------(1) Ibid, P• SB

{2) Ibid, P• 52 3) Ibid, P• 52 4) Ibid, P• 41

154

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The Unadjusted G1rl · 1

·' Little B11own, and co .. , 1923.

The first chaptel',. which deal$ with tho Four W1sho.s, is veey valuable.

Vnn \'laters, Miriam, Youth in Oontl1ct , New RepUblic: 1995 •.

White, Wm.

Although th1$ book treats la~gely of the Juvenile population, it is suggestive of ways or handling adult population,.

The Outlines ·of Psych1a,trz li0ll1/0US anu Mental Diseases t 1921.

An excellent guide to the abnormal studies. nnd the1it technology. . ~·

The Challenge of' Ollildbood • •• ruomna Seltzer: 1925.

A number of worth while cnses or peraonal1ty .and behavio:P problems.

Watson, J• B. Behaviorism New York: 1925.

n. Books and Pnmplll.eta on Family Dese~t1on Brandt, Lilian F1'1'e. Hundred and seventx-rou1 .. Desel."ters anu The!v Pnml!ies . I

Oolco11d,. J .o.

Devine, Etl.

N.Y. 0.0.s.1 1905 • . A desoripti ve study of thoir clml"actel:a1at1os and circumstances. Brolcen Momes

New YOl"k, 1919 •. A study of family desertion and its treatment. :Fhe . Causes ot Mia,erl

New York: 1909. p~inc1£les of Relief

'N.Y. Mac: 1914.

Family desertion, PP• 135...,143. Bi>eckinric'tge• s.p. Fa.m

11lz Welfare Wol'~

Chicago: 1924. Family desel'tion, PP• 518-626.

Eaves,· Luelle and others, Cl~idran in lteed of s;xecinl cnre, · Boston t•oment s educ. anu in uote1~Ia!

. union; 1923, Studies· based upon 2000 case.a records ot social agenoiaa. ·

A Stud~ of Family Dosertio~ Oh1cngoa 1916.

A disse~tation submitted ro~ dooto~ of plrl.losopby degree. Family Troubles ti - p N.Y. c.o.s. 1920.

157

158

i;ational Desertion Bureau,. AA~tte.l Report 1915, to date.

Liebman, W .H.

c .o.s.

---------

Morris M. Goldstein, 356 second Ava., N.Y •. c. nso.cial Sel?vi.ces in the ~,amil1 Co\U'ttt

The. Bureau, lhY.c. 1920

Handbook of . Inf'o1~t1on. on llon•support, boaertion1 t:mCI ll!esI'Eitna.ei ' .· · Hi

N.Y.a. 1916. Compiled by M.J • Pal2er•·

Deserted and Abandoned ChildrenJ a ;test ot 'El1e value ot' ellf'o:t.-cing . the oJ;tyt s rit)lts against child deaertera~ Compiled by the oommisaioner accounts. ·

N.Y.o. Wbe City: 1916. Pntte1"aon, s.H. npamily Desel:'t1on and. Non•aupport",. Journal

. of Deli~auencz, vol. 1. PP·• 249•82, ?lG§.!j!iJJ.. sept¥. an rfov. 1922 •.

A study or cout.tt cases in Ph1lndelphia from 1916 to 1920.

Philadelphia, Seybert Xnat1tution, Sureau ot Soeinl Research, Handling or cases by the Juvenile court and court or Domestic. Relnt:101is of the Philadelphia mun1o1pal coui~t.

Bulletin, Mo. 21 1918. Quinn, James A.,· A survey study or Fnmilz Daae11tion . ,

' - Uri!• o? !Jls s ouri i 1921.

Smith z.D.

A maater•s thesis wh1ch compares 200 deserted families with 200 non-deserted frunilies ot: the st. Louis .Provident ·l .. ssoc1at1on through statistical means.

Deserted \71ves and Dase~tins ltusbands ' NO. ifo. ·'IS o'f' the Boston 61ia:rJ:t1es,, 1901.

C. Magazine arti oles 011 Family Desertion.

Baldwin, W.H.

Baldwin, ti .H.

"Canadian L"'ttradit1onTreaty and Familr Desex-tion" Am. Ina ti tute of Oritninal Law ,and Cr!m1~o10fil 1

VoI~ !?31 PP• Itif.J-Y:Ul, ~·l.ugust i§2!. .

°Fnm1ly Desertion and Non-support Laws of. the Various states", made 111 :conne.ction td tll. the Asso~1nted Charities, Washi11gton, D.o. 136 P• t1ash1ngton, ·'1he Assn. 1904. ·

Bound·witht Brandt. t'I111am, Five Hu.ndl'ed and seventy-follr' Desevters nnd their ~nm111es. · . IfJo!>. " · · ··

159

Bald~vin, \i .a.

Ooleo11'1, J .o.

'*11on-suppo1"t and 1ta Remedies 1n Massachusetts" Jl. Of the /®• Institute of OI'iminnl Lnw and CriniI11ology. · Vol. ~ 1 PP• 735-751• Ja.n. 1917. "Non•aupport.Laws and the Chicago Court or Domestic Relationsn · · · · J'l. of the Anh Inst1 tute of Or1m1nnl r,,uw

--~nd ·c'rim1no10.~z. -vol. s, PP: 4oo-4oe, ·sopt. 1912. ' ' '

'·'Present Status of ~"amily Dese~tion nnd ·Non-support~ Lewan P• 39, 1911. Repl"inta t L~r:..t1one.l Conference of Ohn1'i ties

qo~reot!ons Proceed!n~o, !91!. 11BW:'-aau or Uttsband Finding" · · · survey, 1912, Vol. 28, 265•6.

'*B:roke11 Homes" 1 ?-loxt steps 1n the preventive treatment or family dese~tion.

s;urvez, 1919, Vol. 42, 303-5 0 Deaert1011 and lton•ahppol"t in Family Cnae

· Wot .. lt" Ann. Am. Aee.d. 1918. 1/ol. 771 91-102,

noonoerning the Fam11yn ,putloot,s,_ 1910, Vol. 95, p. 55·0 •

Conyington, M. "Ca~e or Needy Fam111esJ Desertion" su1"Vtez. 1912, Vol. ~a, 148·61.

Dyson., v.

"Divottce l?l'·oblem in the Domestic Relations Oowt",· Nnt. Prob. Assn. 19231 133•43.

«The Desertacl" Su:vve~,_ 191_41 Vol. 33.,322 .. 3.

"She brings tho ltusbs.nds to Time" Am. Mn~• 1916, Vol. 81• 53•4•

"Family Dasertiontt Survez, _1921, Vol. 45, 737.

upamily Dese1,tera in ?Jnni toba 11

Su!'vex;, 1912. Vol. 28, 256-7.

Glasgo\v (S.cotlund) Pu:raish Council-. "Desel"tion caaeo": memorandum and repol"t by tlie Inspectott of the poor. 1909. -· 1

Memorandum and report by the Inspector of poor, with references to desertion cases. 1909.

........ -·--Itnrd, VI.,.

'*Wife and Family Deaert1onnJ !~grat:l.on ea a cont1'1butory cause 1 memo1,.andum. by 3 .n. Motion, · · 1912.

"Fathers Who Lett Thei11· Gh.ildre11 Ste.rve" 11 Dalin. 1913• .Vol .. so. 143·4·

Hoffman, Chas. w. "Court of Domestic Relatto1ia" . Jl. of OJ'.'irainal Lnvr, 19181 Vol .. 81 746_;.8~-• e tt'i1 ' I 11 II , . t - . j

Hoffman, Chao. w. "Domestic Relations Coiirt and D!voPce" · Delip.qttent. Feb. 1917" · p-, 1•5.

Iiuntor, J.n. ttnasert:ton and· 1~011-suppol't by Fathers in Mothe:t'' s ·/\id cases" . . · · ..

1$0

Untl. cont. of Soc •. Wk. P~ooaedin5s, 19191 p.309.9, M J I I ' . I I I. I f ...

Johnson, Fred, n. "What cnn be Accomplished through P11obat:t.on in. Mon-support casean · · . . . . . . .

<le Lacy, VI .n. Nntl. Probation Assn. 1924: 1'15-.lSO.

"Faintly Desertion and Uon-suppo?'t•1

Stwvei, 1910. Vol. 231 670-ao. Liebman, VI .u. 1•some Oene1 .. al Aspects of Famili' Dese1,tion"

Soo~al H;n3iefl~, Vol• 6. 197•202, Apr. 1920• New York (State) Confo:t»el1ce of Ohal"i t1es anti Correction

0 ohJ:Id' I5eaa1~tion., a· Pe'Ioey" oy 8e.mue:r 1

•

----

----Ricks, J.H.

Rippon# Jana

Sobel, in 1ts ~rocee,din~!• 1909, 59•'79•

uD1fterenoe in the Treatment of the Problem of Widowa, and that of Deserted Wives";• b1 Mary B:r,aed, with discussion.

· Pro~~edinss, 19101 '16•91

"H0tq to Aid Desel"ted Vii V~S ft by a .c. CEU .. ~ten•, . Procaedinss 1 19041 P• .196·210 •

"Ph1lade;lph1a Municipal OOU:t't Itepo~t f.o;r l9a2" .Donies·t1c. Relations .. Divisions, 323•Gl. -' ,_.

"Report of the Committee Family Courts" National P:ttobs.t1onAesn. 1923: ll9•12th

"The family coul'1tu Jl. of Cr1rrtine.l l.1nw. ·Vol~ 91 187•1921 Aug. 1918.

She:rmnn.- Corino A. "Rnc1nl Factors in Desert1011n Fnra1lv, 1922.

" ' "" n~~ocial Aspects of ~he Family Coux•t" Jl. of Criminal Law, 19191 Vol. 10: 409•423. I _ .. \- ....,. m - .II. I .

"Probation fol" e.ll Illimigrant liusbnnds" ~:irvez, l9ls, Vol. so, 385-6.

ttFamily Deserter b~ought to Book" s;ut'rSJX.• 19131 Vol. 30, 67-a.

11Deaertion of Wives and Children by Immigrn~ione to America u · COnf e Ch. and C~or1.,octions, 1912: 257•60 •

161

lG2

'rllE APPENDIX

The Statistieal 'l'nblea

I Comparative Ages ot titan nnd Woman at Dase~t1on

II Compa1"ativa P..gea or Man and Woman st Open11ig of Record

III The Uumber ot Children Per Famil7

IV Oompal'ative Ages of Man Woman st !!n.rri0-se

V Length of Mnrxiiage 'lu1t1l the i 1i1 .. at Pesavtion

VI Known Previous Marriages of Mnn end Woman

VII Length of Ma.1111"lage until the Birth of li,1rat Child

VIII Known Immornlity of ?~an and \~oman

IX KnoV1n Venereal Disease ot Man and \1loman

X Nativity of Man end Woman

XI Occupations or ?rten (at first appea1,ance)

XII Occupations of Women (paid occupations)

XIII Wages o.f Men

XIV Wages of Women

XV Ohurch t.1embersh1p of' Ltan anc1 VJon1fln

XVI Problems Presented in the Dese~ted Families

XVII Services Rendered to the Deserted Families

. XVIII comparison of' Gene1'al Heport ancl Desertion RecordJJ tor Ootobel"

XIX Length of Time Under caxie to Oetober 1924

XX Time Interval between the F~rat Desertion and Applioation

XXI llea.l th or Yloman

XXII Table Used in Compilation of Statistical Materials

163

Table l. Comparative Ages or tto.11 nnd Vlornnn at Desertion

Years !ten Women

16 0 .17 0 l 1$ 0 2 19 0 3 20 2 l 21 2 l 22 2 2 23 3 3 24 2 5 25 4 3 26 4 5 27 '1 6 28 4 4 29 6 5 30 3 5 3l 3 2 32 .2 4 33 5 4 34 6 35. 5

g l ~ 36 2 4 37 3 5 38 4 39 2 2

40 ·2 l 41 3 2 42 l l 43 1 0 44 3 l 45 and ovel' 9 0

,', l 6

Tota.l S4'

164

Table II· Comparative Ages, of tJian and Woman at Opening ot R.eoord

Yeatts Men Women 0 0

16 0 1 17 0 2 18 0 6 19 l 3 20 2 3 21 l 3 22 3 2 23 5 7 24 6 8 25 5 7 26 l 6 27 5 5 28 a· 4 29 5· a 30 3 4 31 8 6 32 4 6 33 3 4 34 4 5 35 17 5 36 3 1 37 4 2 38 3 0 39

.., 2 40 4 0 41 2 l 42 2 ·~ 0 43 3 1 44 a 3 45 and over Total rmr m

Table III. The Numbel" or Children Per Family

Size in children

0 l 2 ·3 4 5 6 7 8 and ovei'

~otal

Frequency

5 23 31 23 SS 14

9 4 4 m

Table IV• Comparative Ages or Man ancl Woman at Marrio.ge

Years

13 14 15 16

.17 18 19

·20 21 22 23

'24 'g5 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

. 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 and ove1~

~otal

Men 0 0 l 3 l l 9 8

14 a 6 3 2 2 4 G 5 3 3 2 l .l 2 0 3 l 4 6

w

Women 2 0 8 9 7 a a

10 10

4 5 2 2 3 2 2 0 2 2 2 l 2 3 0 2 0 0 3 w

165

Table V. Length of Ma1"1'itage until the Fi11st Deaert:ton

Years

l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ll 12 13 14 15 lG 1'7 18 19 20 nnd ove~

Total

Frequency

8 ·7 10

5 a ""! 4 1 8 7 6 l 7 3 a l l l l '1 w

Table VI. Known P1'evious ?~nr:t'iages ot• Man and Woman

no. wives one tYtO thl'eo rou~

No. Husbands one two three rour

Men Divo1'ced

5 1 0 0.

Total 19 Women

Divorced 14

l 2 0

Dead 5 l 0 l

Dead 12

2·n· 0 0

* one each of husbands were divor~ed. Total 38

Dontt Know 5 l 0 0

Dontt know '1 0 0 0

166

Table VII. Length of Marv1age until Birth .of First Ohild

In months 21-24 18-21 15-18 12•15 9-12 6•9 3-6 0•3

l 0 0 0 0 0 l 4

Age· ·Of the child before 1'.lllrricge

-·-~------------~----------~-~-------fi·-----------------------0•3 3-5 6•9 9-12

lB•l5 15-18 18-21 21-24 24•2'7 27-30 :10-33 3~1-36 ss-~m 39~42 49•45 and over

Totnl

2 3 7

13 7 5 5 3 6 l 4 l 3 0 4

VO

Numbel" or raontha after mnrr1nge until the birth or tho first child

Table VIII. Known Immol'.'nlity ot Man a.nd Woman

Sex Frequency

l\il(~n Woman

:i!otal

25 28 b3

Tal.>le Ix. Knawn Vene1,ea1 Disease of itnn and Woman

sex

Me:n. Women

Syphilis

8 13

Total 34.

5 8

107

Table X. Nativity ot Man and Woman

Man Women United States S\'teden Austl1ia Norwuy . Ireland Mexico West India ........ . England Garmany

Total

127 l l 0 3 3 0 0 2

. !$8 1

Table XI. Oocupntion of Men (at first appearance)

Occ.

Stat. Fireman Loco. Firomnn Hnx-noss maker Truck driver Motorman

. I,oborel.9 Steel workev Ga.mble~ Elevutor boy Teems tel" Meat cuttel" Ct)binet Maker Roff er Balos:·i'an Barbel' Duss boy Jewelry buyer

· Butcher Tinner J'nnitett mnchin1st warehouoe worker Ynrd rr:an Insurance Collecto~ Blacksmith Factory operative Stat. engineel'

:· 1 l l 4 2

32 l l l 2 l l l l l l 1 1 l l 2 l 1 l l l l

Occ.

oaxapentel" Const~· Supt. Agent M1nex-Ele et r1 e ian House painter l'lasterer Concrete wo1"ker Musi clan Tailox-Swi tcllman ·Ole:rlt Printer Bootlegger Policeman

. 'l'~.xi . dl"i ver Iceman Weildett · Cook B1:·oakman Laundry d1-.1 VOl" Teemste1 .. waiter ·Povter Watclunalce1., Business man Moulder

Total occupations given 109.

129 0 l l 0 a

"l l

l

lto. 5 l 1 3 l 8 l l l l l l l l 1 2 l l s l l l l 2 l l l

168

169

Table XII. Occupations or Women (pn1d occupations)

Occ. No. Factory operative .10 lJ e.i tress 8 Landlady l Laundress 14 senmstreas ~l Elevato~ girl 2 Housekeepa~ 3 Butche:r (p~ok1nghouse) 1 candy maker · l en :r wasllal'\ l Cafete1,1a l10l"ltar l Beauty Pat-lor . opei--a. tor•· 1

Olerk Ste11ographer Music1s.n Tel. Operator Dishwasher

· Chembermo.id Furr;tel" Pas t17 coolt Time keeper cnaltier Housemaid Typist

Total '12

Table XIII, Wages of Men (per week)

In dolla~a. Mo.

10 2 In dollars

11 l 25 12 6 26 13 l 27 14 0 28 15 4 29 16 0 30 17 2 31 18 9 .32 19 l 33 20 5· 34 21 10 35 22 2 36 23 0 37 24 4 38

39 and over

Tote.l '15

!rable xiv. Wnges of Vloman

I11 Dollars Ho. In dollars

3 2 12 4 0 13 5 2 14

ea~ 0. 15 "I 3 16 a 6 17 9 2 18

l.O 17 19 ll 6 20 and ove:tt

Total 57

No. 5 2 l 1 3 5 l 3 l l 4 l

No.

6 0 l l 0 2 0 0 1 0 a 3 0 0 5

No. 11

2 2 4 0 l l 0 4

Table xv.: . Church Membership of lian a.nd Woman

Denom1nnt1on Man · Vlonu.~n

Lo.ttar Day Saints l 2 Baptist ? 20 lrfethod.1st 5 12 Lutheran l l Presl>yterian l 4 ,-, Catholic 10 l.5''., . Christian 2 ·3 Christian Science o· 1 Eoiscopal 0 l

l ... Pentecostal .... Total 'Z 60

Tabla XVI. Problems P1"esentoc.t· 1n the Deaerted•Famil:t.es ·

Prob. presented

Unemployment Under employ-seasonal Inadequate Wage .

· Unsa.f. Vile. Record Child under 16, wk illeg Unsnf. Sch. Record Neglect or Child Child Conduct Prob• Industrial Accident Occupt. Disease Tuberculosis Epilepsy venereal Disease cardiac Trouble Anemia . Nervous trouble Insanity Blindness-dofect sight Defective teeth Dripnled - de:ormed other Phy. disability Mental Der. Diagnosis Old age · Intemperance Drtig habit

.uo. 34 10 19 a 2 6

24 11

0 0 3

.1 16

4 0 4 2 4

12 5

46 6 2 9 l

Prob. Presented

Desel1tt-Non-Supp-Sept In-0ompatibility Shif.tlessne$s !

Begging ter1dency · Imprisonment · Known Sex Imm. · Marked. Character Vlealc. Illiteracy . Ignor. of Lang.•C':lst .. Indabtedness · Bus .. tangles · · . · Bad IIouaekeeping-ove11i CP. Unsatisfactoey er1,1ll.'2on. Unadjusted to environ. Mismanagement ; Bad housekeeping

. Mo. works from 11ome · LS.ck of Clients.Goop• Lack of ho111a. ·life Lack of Recreation St1'*anded ·

.Death · Irregular ma11riage Child in Foste1., home Illicit Occupation

Total problems presented S9:3c.

No.· . 95 2S 14 11 -10 20 24

4 4

19 8

17 10

3 12. 12 45 .. 26 ..

1'70

. •19.· :.· ll

4 ·2

a.·· l l

171

Tabla XVII. se1-.viees Rendered to Dese1"ted Families,

Services

Credit Secured Debts Reduced. Other financial.adj. Equipt provicler for bus

. Spec. or voe•, training Trunsportation · Home· ror Adults Inst. Care for Adults

. 'Milk Given Layette fu.rltlshed Li111bs ov. braces Glasses furnished Employ .- temp •. Employ . .- perm.:' Employ . · -· tl:n"11 agency W~ges incl:'eased · Inst. Care cl'li.ld•temn. Inst; cru·e child•nerm. Inst~·· care child-o·ther Day nnrsery Care Child kept in sch. Sch. Hecord Imp. Child to Foste? home Dental treatment·· Dispensary treat .• Physician ·

3 6

18 ·O ·2 6 0 0

ll' 0 l 0

14 16 '0'

g .. 14. 1 3

25 18 10 lo 12 41

8

Services Mo. Pub. Health Ntii:ase Pl1Y• Exam .• -no treatment 11 Hospital treatment 7 Other phy. treatment 28

. lv!ental Exntainntion 5 Mental t:ventmont 5 Legal trant• Jv. ct·. 4 Lega:r t1~nt. Desertion 12 Legal tl•eo. t .'. Other 19 Suppoxat without Legnl 5 Change of Sentence '1 Instl'1Uction in Home Ecc. l Housekeeper secured 2 Homa cond. improved 1 Family strengthened 12 Recreation nrrnnged 19 Jiioved to bet t~el' loo a ti on 10 13-ad Housi.ng Corractad 18 Undesirable infl. removed 9 Adjusted to nevi Environ. 4 Church conn. strengthened O Friendly Visitor obt. 9 Habi~s of' thrift taught 7 Bad Housing Improved 2 Improved att1tudo to P.A. 2 Thoro Moi•o.l Exnm. 17 Systematic Re.formntion 2

0

Table A'VIII •· Comparison of Gene1--n.l Report arid Desertion Ro cords tor OatobaI> $ 1924. ·

A. Fnmil.ies undei~ care.

Total in the organization 794 With desertion as a problem 139 With a recent desertion 95

B. Number of Families per district.

District

North south East West · Central So. East Morth Central ChiJ.drcnts Dept, •. Sp. O.ffica.- · M.s.w.

Total

Total 189

5B 136 113 sa·

40 73 93

. 24 30 w.r·

percentage of whole 17.5 percentage of vn1ola 12.

Desertion

46 10 18 ~l

0 0 0

22 0 0

I'3tT

Table XIX. Length of Time UndeP 08.l'>e to October, l.924.

In years

Under one yenr 1 - 2 2 - 3 3 ... 4 4 - 5 5 .. 6 6 - 7 7-8 8 - 9 9 - 10 10 - 11 11 - 12 12 - 13 13 - 14

~otal

Frequency 57

· 17. 10. s· 5 3 3 3 6 G 4 l ·7 5'

!35 •rable xx. Time Interval between the ~1irst Desert1011 a11d the

Application

Yo a rs Frequency

Over 7 6 - 7 5 - 6 4-5

3 0 ·a 2

· 17~

3 - 4 2 - 3 l - 2

1 Appli·cations prior.· 6 .to desertions

Under l vcar

Unt1er l year l - 2 2 - 3 3 - 4 4 - 5 5 - 6 6 r,nd over

Total

XX.I. Henlth oi' the Woman

Illness of one nature of the other, excepting Vonerenl Diseases

'rota.l

l 6

56 8 4

· 3 Desertions pr101~ .0 to·applleations 2 1 ~

36 3ti

Table XXII. Tnble Used in Compilation of Statistical ldatepiala.

· Date a.t First Application -----?.JAM

case no. YlOUAU

Aga . ~· A:ge at marriage Birthplace

. IIoma Status Early·.Childho~ Race-language Years in the u.s. Churall-degJ:tee · ' Occupations Wage (wk) :,.ge-gl.~. lert· sch. :Medicine-history Tempe ra:i-11en t Previous iua1• ringe Addicted t.o d1~uga-nlch PeJ:sona.l hE:t.bi ·cs Industrial habits supposed Immo7?ality Known Imrno1~:ali t y court Record so ld1 e i-. .... 3 o~1 lo:v

---..-------------·--------------------------------... -----------Childi~en

sex age · . d.o. te of birth gt•.

General

Date of first. ma!':t•ie.ge Date of fir3t child Length of mnr1'inge Dn te of Deso1-ation Type . of. ·desortel:' · Length ·oi, acquainta.nce bof'ore ma rringe •

..... ------------------------------.-.---------------------------

173

causea given by man causes given by woman Other causes indicated in record

---~-·--·---------------.---------------------·---------------Legel treatment

consultation ·Action f o~ non•suppo1•t Alimony g1"9.llted by court Alimony secured , · Divorce.

Problems Presented (stat•: ed.}

Social treat. (stat. ed.)